Privacy
OTN is committed to protecting your personal health information consistent with the requirements of the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004.
“Personal Health Information” is any information that can identify you and link you to health care services you receive. This includes your name, address, telephone number, health card number, health care provider’s name, the reason you were referred for a telemedicine appointment and any of your laboratory or examination results.
Privacy Best Practice Toolkit for Members
OTN has developed this "best practices" toolkit as a resource for OTN Members, health care providers, privacy officers and Telemedicine Coordinators to help them practice within a telemedicine environment while meeting the legislative requirements of the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA).
Privacy Impact Assessment
When OTN provides the technical and operational supports to allow for real-time two- way videoconferencing between two or more health information custodians for the purpose of disclosing personal health information, OTN is considered a health information network provider under Ontario Regulation 329/04 of the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004.
The Regulation requires that OTN conduct an assessment of the services provided to health information custodians with respect to how the services provided via telemedicine may affect the privacy of the individuals who are the subject of the information.
A Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) was conducted in July, 2006 and its findings assisted OTN in designing its privacy program. A more detailed assessment of its current privacy program is scheduled for May/June 2007 and the findings from this assessment will be made available to each applicable health information custodian, consistent with the requirements of the Regulation.
Threat and Risk Assessment
In order to ensure that adequate safeguards were implemented to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of patient information, a detailed Threat and Risk Assessment (TRA) of OTN's network and systems architecture was performed in March, 2006 by an independent third party. The results of the TRA assisted OTN in the implementation of its safeguards and will be made available to each applicable health information custodian.
Contact Information
For more information about OTN’s privacy policy, you may contact OTN's Privacy Officer by:
Email: privacy@otn.ca
Phone:
1-866-454-OTN1 (6861)
Please leave your name and number with the OTN Receptionist who will ask the Privacy Officer to return your call.
Mail:
Privacy Officer
Ontario Telemedicine Network
105 Moatfield Drive, Suite 1100
Toronto, ON
M3B 0A2