Privacy Statement for Guelph Internal Medicine Clinic

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Effective Date: 2025-01-02 . 

Applies to: GIM Clinic (including GOALS Clinic)

1. Who We Are

GIM Clinic, including the GOALS Clinic program, is committed to protecting your privacy and safeguarding personal health information (PHI) and personal information (PI) in accordance with Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) and Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

2. What Information We Collect

We collect only the information necessary to provide care, operate our programs, and meet legal obligations. This may include:

• Personal health information (PHI) for clinical care
• Personal information (PI) for subscriptions, communications, or program participation
• Information submitted via contact forms, consent forms, or online platforms

3. How We Use and Share Information

• Information is used only for authorized purposes, including care delivery, program management, and legal compliance.
• We do not sell or rent your information.
• Disclosure outside the circle of care or for non-health purposes requires express consent, except as permitted by law.

4. Data Residency and Cross-Border Processing

Some systems (e.g., body composition devices, cloud services) may store or process information outside Canada (such as in the United States).

• We require contractual safeguards and remain accountable for your information.
• Foreign laws may permit access by authorities.
• For details or alternatives, contact our Privacy Office.

5. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access and request correction of your information
• Restrict access or disclosure of specific records (“lockbox” directive)
• Receive information about our privacy practices
• File complaints with the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC)

6. Safeguards and Security

We implement administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect your information, including encryption, access controls, and audit logs. Breach notifications are provided as required by law.

7. Electronic Communications and AI

• We use secure channels for email, SMS, and portals, and obtain appropriate consent.
• Commercial messages comply with Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL).
• AI tools are used only with privacy-by-design, human oversight, and do not replace clinical judgment.

8. Program-Specific Consent (GOALS Clinic)

• Consent forms describe collection purposes, platform use, data sharing, lockbox options, and cross-border disclosures.
• Patients may opt out of non-essential data uses.

9. Contact Us

For privacy questions, requests, or concerns, contact: 

Privacy Officer: Dr. Marcello Schmidt 

Email: privacy@gimclinic.ca

10. Updates

This statement is reviewed annually and updated as needed. Changes are posted on our website.