It is important to the WTIO that the privacy and security of personal health information collected via the WTIS is kept secure and confidential. The WTIO Privacy Policy describes the privacy practices and safeguards WTIO staff employ to protect personal health information in the WTIS. The WTIO also has a Privacy Lead whose job it is to ensure all WTIO staff follow the WTIO Privacy Policy and to act as the key resource for those who would like more information about the WTIO’s privacy practices.
Principles Governing our Use of Personal Health Information
The Wait Time Information Office (WTIO) Privacy Policy is based on the ten principles of the Canadian Standards Association’s Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information and the Ontario Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA), which govern the WTIO’s collection, use, and disclosure of personal health information.
Principle 1 - Accountability for Personal Health Information
The WTIO is responsible for the personal health information it collects, uses, and discloses via the WTIS. The WTIO Privacy Lead manages the day-to-day privacy operations of the Office. The Lead of the Wait Time Information Management Strategy and the CCO Chief Privacy Officer are accountable for the WTIO’s compliance with the following principles.
Principle 2 - Identifying Purposes for the Collection of Personal Health Information
The WTIO collects personal health information to: (1) enable clinicians and their staff to collect information about wait times; (2) publicly report on wait times; (3) provide clinicians, hospital and health system administrators, and patients with the information they need to make informed decisions; and (4) assist clinicians and their staff with the scheduling of procedures and identifying priority cases.
Principle 3 - Consent for the Collection, Use, and Disclosure of Personal Health Information
PHIPA, Ontario’s health privacy legislation, permits the collection of personal health information without patient consent for the purposes of planning, monitoring, and managing the health care system. The WTIS, which is designed to monitor wait times, is an example of an activity that does not require consent for the collection of personal health information. The WTIO provides notice of the purposes for which your personal health information is collected, used, disclosed, and protected by the WTIO through this website or by contacting our Privacy Lead ( wtioprivacy@cancercare.on.ca ).
Principle 4 - Limiting Collection of Personal Health Information
The WTIO only collects the minimum amount of personal health information required to report on wait times in order to assist health care providers in managing wait lists. This information includes: (1) patient identifying information (e.g. name, address, health card number); (2) health care provider information (e.g. health care provider number, health care provider name, demographic data, provider specialty); (3) facility information; (4) surgical wait time information (e.g. surgical procedure, decision to treat date, actual treatment date); and (5) prioritization information.
Principle 5 - Limiting Use, Disclosure, and Retention of Personal Health Information
Personal health information collected by the WTIO will only be used to calculate wait time statistics and to facilitate wait list management. Wait time information shared with the public appears without personal identifiers, such as your name or address. Personal health information is retained in the WTIS for an indefinite term in order to perform on-going statistical analyses on wait times.
Principle 6 – Ensuring Accuracy of Personal Health Information
The WTIO relies on the accuracy of the data provided by health care providers to the WTIS. If you wish to update or change your personal health information held in the WTIS you will be directed to the health care provider who submitted your personal health information to the WTIS.
Principle 7 – Ensuring Safeguards for Personal Health Information
The WTIO employs administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect the personal health information in the WTIS against theft, unauthorized access or modification. Administrative safeguards include the WTIO Privacy Policy and a training program that all WTIO staff must complete to ensure they understand the privacy procedures they are required to follow. Technical safeguards include strong passwords, data encryption, and perimetre and network controls. Physical safeguards include the facility security in place at the WTIO and physical safeguards, such as locks, applied to computer equipment and file cabinets which may store printed personal health information.
Principle 8 - Openness about Personal Health Information Policies and Practices
The WTIO is pleased to make its Privacy Policy available on this website or by contacting the Privacy Lead at wtioprivacy@cancercare.on.ca or 505 University Avenue, 17th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X3.
Principle 9 - Individual Access to their own Personal Health Information
The WTIO will assist individuals in accessing their information held in the WTIS by directing them to their clinician and/or hospital that originally collected and submitted their information to the WTIS.
Principle 10 - Challenging Compliance with the Wait Time Information Office’s Privacy Policies and Practices
All WTIO staff strictly adhere to the WTIO Privacy Policy. If you have a concern or complaint about the WTIO’s privacy practices, please contact us at Cancer Care Ontario, attention Wait Time Information Office Privacy Lead, 505 University Avenue, 17th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X3.
Download the WTIO Privacy Brochure
Wait Time Information Office – Privacy Lead
WTIOprivacy@cancercare.on.ca
Phone: 416.971.9800 ext. 3359
505 University Avenue, 17th Floor
Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X3
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