Adult HHF | Ocean’s Edge Orthodontics (oeo)

At Ocean’s Edge Orthodontics, we are committed to providing our patients with exceptional service. As providing this service involves the collection, use and disclosure of some personal information about our patients, protecting their personal information is one of our highest priorities.

While we have always respected our patients’ privacy and safeguarded their personal information, we have strengthened our commitment to protecting personal information as a result of British Columbia’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). PIPA, which came into effect on January 1, 2004, sets out the ground rules for how B.C. businesses and not-for-profit organizations may collect, use and disclose personal information.

We will inform our patients of why and how we collect, use and disclose their personal information, obtain their consent where required, and only handle their personal information in a manner that a reasonable person would consider appropriate in the circumstances.

This Personal Information Protection Policy, in compliance with PIPA, outlines the principles and practices we will follow in protecting patients’ personal information. Our privacy commitment includes ensuring the accuracy, confidentiality, and security of our patients’ personal information and allowing our patients to request access to, and correction of, their personal information.


Scope of this Policy

This Personal Information Protection Policy applies to Ocean’s Edge Orthodontics.
This policy also applies to any service provider collecting, using or disclosing personal information on behalf of Ocean’s Edge Orthodontics.



Definitions

Personal Information –means information about an identifiable individual, including but not limited to name, age, home address, phone number, social insurance number, income, credit history, medical information, and employment information. Personal information does not include contact information (described below).

Contact information – means information that would enable an individual to be contacted at a place of business and includes name, position name or title, business telephone number, business address, business email or business fax number. Contact information is not covered by this policy or PIPA.


Privacy Officer – means the individual designated responsibility for ensuring that Ocean’s Edge Orthodontics complies with this policy and PIPA.

Policy 1 – Collecting Personal Information
1.1 Unless the purposes for collecting personal information are obvious and the patient voluntarily provides his or her personal information for those purposes, we will communicate the purposes for which personal information is being collected, either orally or in writing, before or at the time of collection.
1.2 We will only collect patient information that is necessary to fulfill the following purposes:

To verify identity;
To verify creditworthiness;
To identify patient preferences;
To understand the financial and insurance needs of our patients;
To open and manage an account;
To deliver requested products and services
To provide medical and/or dental services;
To ensure a high standard of service to our patients;
To meet regulatory requirements.
1.3 Depending on your treatment, some options require sending patient data between Canada and the United States. This means data we process for your treatment may be transferred to, stored, or processed in the United States and Canada.

Policy 2 – Consent
2.1 We will obtain patient consent to collect, use or disclose personal information (except where, as noted below, we are authorized to do so without consent).
2.2 Consent can be provided orally, in writing, electronically or through an authorized representative, i.e. a parent or guardian, or it can be implied where the purpose for collecting, using or disclosing the personal information would be considered obvious and the patient voluntarily provides personal information for that purpose.
2.3 Consent may also be implied where a patient is given notice and a reasonable opportunity to opt-out of his or her personal information being used for mailings, appointment reminders, fundraising and similar communication and the patient does not opt-out.
2.4 Subject to certain exceptions (e.g., the personal information is necessary to provide the service or product, or the withdrawal of consent would frustrate the performance of a legal obligation), patients can withhold or withdraw their consent for Ocean’s Edge Orthodontics to use their personal information in certain ways. A patient’s decision to withhold or withdraw their consent to certain uses of personal information may restrict our ability to provide a particular service or product. If so, we will explain the situation to assist the patient in making the decision.
2.5 We may collect, use or disclose personal information without the patient’s knowledge or consent in the following limited circumstances:

When the collection, use or disclosure of personal information is permitted or required by law;
In an emergency that threatens an individual's life, health, or personal security;
When the personal information is available from a public source (e.g., a telephone directory);
For the purposes of collecting a debt.

Policy 3 – Using and Disclosing Personal Information
3.1 We will only use or disclose patient personal information where necessary to fulfill the purposes identified at the time of collection, or for reasonable purposes, such as:

To conduct client, customer, member surveys in order to enhance the provision of our services;
To contact our patients directly about products and services that may be of interest
3.2 We will not use or disclose patient personal information for any additional purpose unless we obtain consent to do so.
3.3 We will not sell patient lists or personal information to other parties without express permission to do so.

Policy 4 – Retaining Personal Information
4.1 If we use patient personal information to make a decision that directly affects the patient, we will retain that personal information for at least one year so that the patient has a reasonable opportunity to request access to it.
4.2 Subject to policy 4.1, we will retain patient personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the identified purposes or a legal or business purpose.

Policy 5 – Ensuring Accuracy of Personal Information
5.1 We will make reasonable efforts to ensure that patient personal information is accurate and complete where it may be used to make a decision about the patient or disclosed to another organization.
5.2 Patients may request correction to their personal information in order to ensure its accuracy and completeness. A request to correct personal information must be made in writing and provide sufficient detail to identify the personal information and the correction being sought.
5.3 If the personal information is demonstrated to be inaccurate or incomplete, we will correct the information as required and send the corrected information to any organization to which we disclosed the personal information in the previous year. If the correction is not made, we will note the patient’s correction request in the file.

Policy 6 – Securing Personal Information
6.1 We are committed to ensuring the security of patient personal information in order to protect it from unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure, copying, modification or disposal or similar risks.
6.2 The following security measures will be followed to ensure that patient personal information is appropriately protected:
Physical, including locked filing cabinets, securing offices/areas where personal information is held, restricting access, and using security measures when disposing of personal information;
Organizational, including providing limited access to certain personnel, requiring security clearances in the form of user IDs and passwords, providing information on a “need to know” basis
Technological, such as the use of IDs and passwords, encryption, firewalls, regular backups and proper training of personnel
6.3 We will use appropriate security measures when destroying patients’ personal information such as securely shredding documents and deleting electronically stored information.
6.4 We will continually review and update our security policies and controls as technology changes to ensure ongoing personal information security.

Policy 7 – Providing Patients Access to Personal Information
7.1 Patients have a right to access their personal information, subject to limited exceptions.
Where required by law, certain personal information may not be disclosed;
Where the information contains personal information about another individual;
Where the information’s disclosure could reasonably be expected to prejudice the mental or physical health of the individual;
Where the information was gathered in the course of a formal dispute resolution, and
Where the information is subject to solicitor-client or litigation privilege.
7.2 A request to access personal information must be made in writing and provide sufficient detail to identify the personal information being sought.
7.3 Upon request, we will also tell patients how we use their personal information and to whom it has been disclosed if applicable.
7.4 We will make the requested information available within 30 business days, or provide written notice of an extension where additional time is required to fulfill the request.
7.5 A minimal fee may be charged for providing access to personal information. Where a fee may apply, we will inform the patient of the cost and request further direction from the patient on whether or not we should proceed with the request.
7.6 If a request is refused in full or in part, we will notify the patient in writing, providing the reasons for refusal and the recourse available to the patient.

Policy 8 – Questions and Complaints: The Role of the Privacy Officer or designated individual
8.1 The Privacy Officer, designated at Ocean’s Edge Orthodontics as the Office Manager, is responsible for ensuring Ocean’s Edge Orthodontics’ compliance with this policy and the Personal Information Protection Act.
8.2 Patients should direct any complaints, concerns or questions regarding Ocean’s Edge Orthodontics compliance in writing to the Privacy Officer. If the Privacy Officer is unable to resolve the concern, the patient may also write to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of British Columbia.
Contact information for Ocean’s Edge Orthodontics’ Office Manager is:
Ocean’s Edge Orthodontics
101-6596 Applecross Road
Nanaimo, BC V9V 0A4
CANADA
ATTN: Office Manager


In British Columbia, at any point the individual may also write to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of British Columbia:
Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia
P.O. Box 9038, Stn. Prov. Govt.
Victoria, BC V8W 9A4
Phone: (250) 387-5629
Fax: (250) 387-1696
Email: info@oipc.bc.ca
This privacy policy may be updated from time to time.

We require at least 24 hours notice to cancel an appointment. Any missed appointment will result in a $20.00 fee, which will need to be paid prior to any future appointments.

By signing this form, you agree that you understand that all charges for orthodontic treatment are due and payable at the time services are rendered, unless prior arrangements have been made. By signing this form, you also agree to authorize insurance benefits to be paid.

You agree that insurance portions are ESTIMATED based on information released by your insurance company. However, the estimate amount of insurance is NOT a guarantee of payment. You are aware that the insurance is a contract between yourself and your insurance carrier/provider. As a courtesy, claims may be filed on your behalf. If for some reason the insurance does not cover the benefit we have estimated, that difference will become the responsibility of the patient/parent/guardian.

You understand that you are financially responsible to the doctor(s) for all treatment.

Returned checks will result in a $35.00 charge to your account. In that case, only cash or credit card payments will be accepted from that point forward.
Cell phones are not permitted in the treatment areas. Video recording is strictly prohibited.