Shared Clinical Information Systems

Ontario’s “Shared Electronic Health Information Systems” and your Personal Health Information

Sunnybrook participates in several shared electronic health information systems in the province including but not limited to ConnectingOntario, the Ontario Laboratory Information System, the BORN neonatal prescribed registry, and the Integrated Assessment Record (IAR). As one of many participating hospitals in these systems, Sunnybrook may send some of your personal health information to these shared systems and Sunnybrook personnel may also use these systems to access your personal health information that was contributed from other health care providers whom you may have visited.

Sharing your personal health information among your health care providers is important…

Shared systems allow your health care team, who may be located at one or more healthcare facilities, to access your health information when you need care anywhere in province in a safe, secure and private manner. These systems also have many patient benefits, such as:

• Ensuring health service providers have the most up-to-date and complete record of your health history.
• Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of care planning and the delivery of treatment to you
• Reducing the need for you to provide the same information multiple times to different care providers
• Reducing duplicate tests and procedures and improving the timeliness of care decisions.

Using shared systems, authorized members of your health care team may have secure access to your personal health information including, but not limited to:

• Information that allows Sunnybrook providers to safely identify you as their patient (e.g. name, date of birth, address, phone number, health card number, etc.)
• Information regarding your health history at other care providers.
• Health care services you are currently receiving or have received from other care providers
• Medication information or results from provincially administered lab or other medical tests
• Emergency department visits
• Hospital reports including care provider notes and letters
• Diagnostic imaging reports (e.g. X-rays)
• Participating community services reports
• Program-specific care information such as cardiac or neonatal care information

Your information is confidential and protected

Sunnybrook has committed to provincial privacy standards, policies and procedures for our participation in provincial shared systems. Sunnybrook access to your information in a shared system is restricted to Sunnybrook personnel who are providing care or assisting in the provision of care for you, or as permitted by a specific system for administrative or other authorized hospital purposes. All Sunnybrook personnel are required to complete privacy training before viewing shared system information. Shared system service providers and Sunnybrook monitor access to your shared system health records and will investigate any suspected inappropriate access to your personal health information.

Your privacy rights

You may contact Sunnybrook’s Privacy Office at privacy@sunnybrook.ca or by phone at 416-480-6100 ext. 61236 if you wish to:

• Restrict access to your personal health information in a shared system
• Receive copies of your information from a shared system
• Request a correction to your information in a shared system
• Understand who may have accessed your information in a shared system
• Make a privacy inquiry or complaint about any aspect of shared systems

If you have a privacy inquiry or complaint about any aspect of your personal health information or shared systems, you may also contact the Information & Privacy Commissioner of Ontario at:

Information and Privacy Commissioner / Ontario
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400
Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A8
416-326-3333
commissioner@ipc.on.ca
www.ipc.on.ca