Privacy & Your Rights

Your privacy is important to us at FeedingPlus. We are committed to protecting your privacy. We collect and use your health information to provide the best care possible. Below you will find information about how we protect your information and how it is used to provide you with care.

Reasons for Collecting Personal Information About Our Clients

Like all healthcare providers, our primary purpose for collecting personal information is to provide high-standard assessment and intervention services to provide the best care possible.

Privacy Policy

Protecting your privacy

We are committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your information, and follow rules for how we collect, use and share your information set out in Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA).

Nicola Pratt, M.Sc., S-LP (Reg. C.A.S.L.P.O) operates under the name 'FeedingPlus' which is an online clinic, virtual clinic, and/or telehealth or telepractice. FeedingPlus is responsible for maintenance of the confidentiality of your personal health information (PHI). This includes confidentiality of both electronically transmitted information and records in audio and video format.

As an HIC (Health Information Custodian), FeedingPlus provides a secure PHIPA (Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act) compliant infrastructure for video calls, messaging, and record-keeping.  FeedingPlus is fully compliant with both PHIPA and HIPA (Health and Information Protection Act) security standards.

Personal Information

Personal information is collected and maintained in accordance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. FeedingPlus complies with the regulations for retention and destruction of health records. Our policy on the collection of personal information is available upon request.

Personal information is information about an identifiable individual. Personal information includes information that relates to personal characteristics which may include:

• Family member names
• Gender
• Age/Date of birth
• Home address and phone number and/or email address
• Languages spoken
• Marital status
• Health (e.g., health history, health conditions, health services received)
• Activities and views (e.g. opinions expressed by an individual, an opinion or evaluation of an individual)
• Case history (such as medical information, treatment history and previous interventions)
• Billing information (such as financial data)

During your visits, we also collect information about tests, procedures, and other health care. Sometimes, we ask other health-care organizations or health-care professionals for information about you if we need it for your care at FeedingPlus. Your information is updated at each appointment.

Protecting Personal Information

We understand the importance of protecting personal information. For that reason, we have taken the following steps:

• Any electronic information stored on portable devices (e.g., disks, memory sticks, laptop computers) is anonymized
• We do not keep any paper records
• Electronic hardware is either under supervision or secured in a locked or restricted area
• Our servers meet and exceed security standards and privacy requirements, both for physical and electronic access, encryption and back up
• Special care is taken when transmitting electronic information

How we use and share your information

The information you give us about yourself and your child and family is important to our work at FeedingPlus. We use your personal health information to treat and care for you and your family.

To ensure the best in client and family-centred care, FeedingPlus may share information with:

• your next-of-kin (family member)
• legal representative, or a person you choose
• health professionals who referred you to FeedingPlus
• other health professionals who are part of your care
• public authorities, as permitted or required by law (for example, child welfare to ensure the safety of our clients)
• agencies and business that make sure you get the special equipment and care you need, if you agree to it (e.g., OAP)

To support your care

With your permission, FeedingPlus shares your information with health-care providers who are involved in your care. This may include providers who do not work at FeedingPlus (e.g., physician, clinician from another hospital/clinic). We will ask for your consent before we collect, use or share your information for any reason other than our stated activities or those authorized by PHIPA or law.

FeedingPlus is committed to protecting the privacy of all personal information that is collected to provide functional, relevant, and evidence-based rehabilitation services to our clients. To achieve this, it is our policy to collect, use and disclose personal information responsibly, to limit the information we collect to what we need, and to make our policies available to any interested party.

FeedingPlus is also allowed to use your information for other reasons including:

• to improve the care, we provide through quality improvement and risk management activities
• to obey laws and regulations
• to fulfill other purposes permitted or required by law
• to obtain payment for your treatment

How FeedingPlus uses email and text messaging to communicate with you 

With your permission, FeedingPlus may communicate with you about your, or your child’s health care using email. It is up to you to know the risks and implement ways to protect yourself before you agree to use email to communicate with us. With your permission, text messaging may be used to confirm, schedule, or cancel appointments.

Reasons for communicating by email

We may email you about you or your child’s care. For example, this may include sending you an email: 

• to confirm appointments and send appointment reminders
• to provide treatment advice
• to send referral information for other recommended support services
• to send you information about FeedingPlus practice updates 

You can change your decision to communicate via email at any time. Your decision to communication or not to communicate via email will not impact to you care at FeedingPlus. You may also choose your preferences for certain types of communications. For example, you can choose to receive appointment confirmations through email or text. If you want to stop receiving communications via email or update your communication preferences, please contact FeedingPlus at [email protected]

Risks of email communication

While FeedingPlus takes all available steps to protect your information, using email may introduce some risks to your privacy and security. For example, an email: 

• may be sent to the wrong recipient by mistake, 
• may be hacked or intercepted by someone who does not have permission, 
• may be difficult to erase or delete once sent, 
• may appear to come from a trusted source but contain a virus that can: damage your device (like a laptop or mobile phone), or access sensitive information about you, like your username, password or credit card information 

By agreeing to communicating via email, you are accepting the risks to your information and devices.

How to protect your information and devices while using email

Below are some examples of how to protect your information and devices while using email: 

• Use strong passwords for each of your online accounts, and do not share your usernames/passwords with others. 
• Accept new, legitimate software updates for your devices and applications to maximize the security of your electronic and web tools. 
• Only open links or open attachments from trusted senders. If you are not sure what the attachment is, call the person who sent it to you before clicking on any links. 
• Check the “To” field before sending an email to confirm that the correct individuals are receiving the email.  
• Use your personal email when communicating with health care providers. Do not use a work email address as your employer may have the right to inspect your work email.  
• Use a secure internet connection when communicating with health care providers. Do not use a public internet connection (e.g., WIFI at an airport, internet café, public library, etc.). It may be easier for other people to access your email account and read your personal information without you knowing. 

If you have questions about our email practices, please contact us at [email protected]

Contact FeedingPlus Privacy for the following reasons

• You may withhold or withdraw your consent at any time by contacting [email protected]

• You wish to withdraw or place “conditions” on your consent for how your information is used or shared
• You would like more information about our information practices
• You have any privacy related questions and/or complaints
• For a copy of your health record or to ask for a correction to your personal health records, contact [email protected]

• To request a copy of the policy and procedures on privacy and protection of information

You Can Look at Your Information

• You have the right to see your personal information. We can help you understand any information you do not understand (e.g., short forms, technical language, etc.). We will of course need to confirm your identity before providing this access. If you believe there is a mistake in the information, you have the right to ask for it to be corrected.

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect, for example, changes to our practices or for other operational, legal or regulatory reasons.

You have the right to complain to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, if you have more questions or concerns, by calling: Tel: 1-800-387-0073 Address: Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario 2 Bloor St East. Suite 1400, Toronto, ON M4W 1A8. Internet: www.ipc.on