Policies

Privacy and Disclosing Personal Health Information:

 

Thera+Kids ensures that the privacy rights of your child and family are protected as mandated by the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA). This information may include records related to your healthcare including:

• Demographic information (created by or received by Thera+Kids)

• Notes or documents from your doctor, teacher, or other healthcare providers

• Developmental and medical history

• Financial records and payment methods pertaining to the services received

• Consents obtained

• Treatment, progress and discharge notes

• Assessment results and reports

• Attendance history

With your written or verbal consent we can share your personal information with identified healthcare providers you identify as participating within your child’s circle of care (e.g., paediatrician, occupational therapist, physiotherapist school personnel etc). Consent to share personal health information is not required in any of the following situations:

 

• Suspected child abuse as per the Child and Family Services Act,1990

• Suspected sexual abuse of a patient by a regulated health care provider

• Peer Assessment by a peer assessor as required by CASLPO’s quality assurance program

• When a client presents a serious danger of physical harm to themselves or to another person

• In emergency situations, e.g. medical emergency

• If the therapist is approached by a legal authority to disclose information (subpoena, warrant, court order)

• When patients and families submit a health benefit claim, they are authorising the insurance company to verify the claim, if necessary.

 

The insurance company can ask for the following information from members without consent:

1. Name of the patient

2. The service provided, e.g., assessment, therapy, education etc.

3. The date service was provided

4. The person who provided the service

5. The amount invoiced for the service

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Consent:

 

As mandated by the College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario (CASLPO) in accordance with the PHIPA act, 2004 Speech-Language Pathologists must obtain knowledgeable consent for collection, use, and disclosure of any personal health information obtained during screening, assessment, and management. Consent obtained will be documented and can be provided to the therapist verbally or in written format.

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For more information on consent please follow these links:

• https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/04p03

• https://caslpo.com/sites/default/uploads/fil

• https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/96h02

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Client Records:

 

As mandated by CASLPO speech-language pathologists are required to maintain a patient health record that contains the following information:

1. The patient’s name, address, telephone number and date of birth.

2. The date and purpose of each professional contact with the patient and whether the contact was made in person, by telephone or electronically.

3. The name and address of any person who referred the patient to the member, if available.

4. The patient’s health history, including any educational, developmental or other relevant issues concerning the patient.

5. The nature and, if known, and result of,​​​

i. each assessment relating to the patient,

ii. each clinical finding relating to the patient,

iii. any recommendation made by the member to the patient,

iv. each treatment performed, and

v. any advice given to the patient, including any pre-treatment or post-treatment advice, and the identity of the person who gave the advice if that person was not the member.

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Retention of Electronic Records:

 

According to the Records Regulation, the guidelines for the storage and retention of such electronic client records is at least 10 years following (a) the date of the member's last professional contact with the patient, if the patient was 18 years or older on that date, or (b) the date that the patient became or would have become 18 years old, if the patient was younger than 18 years on the date of the member's last professional contact with the patient.

 

Requesting a change to your personal health information:

 

The Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA) states that you have the right to request corrections to your personal health information if there are inaccuracies that you notice. If the change is undisputed, the therapist will make the requested changes and provide you with a modified copy of the document.