EchelonWellness Privacy Policy
We take client/patient privacy seriously.
Client/Patient Privacy and Confidentiality
Echelon Wellness Inc. and its affiliates do business under a variety of trade names or trading styles, depending upon which kind of health service is being rendered by its clinicians and the means of delivery of the service. We therefore refer to Echelon Wellness Inc. and its affiliates as “Echelon Wellness” in this privacy policy, with the understanding that it covers all health-related services and delivery methods.
Echelon Wellness is in compliance with privacy protection legislation across Canada. The following Echelon Wellness Privacy Policy details how Echelon Wellness and its Providers protect clients’ and patients’ (Clients’) personal information and personal health information (collectively in this Privacy Policy, PHI). Echelon Wellness will protect PHI by adhering to the following principles:
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When you interact with the Echelon Wellness Website (Terms and Conditions of Use found here), you generally do so anonymously and we avoid identifying you unless you breach any of the Echelon Wellness Website Terms and Conditions of Use. However, if you choose to interact with the website by providing personal information, we will collect that personal information and use it to contact you, offer you services (including services other than those in which you have expressed interest in your communication with the website) and identify you if and when you return to the website at later times. The foregoing provisions will apply whether or not you have a ‘client record’ with Echelon Wellness. If you open a ‘client record’ via the Website, then your client record and the information in it will be treated in accordance with the balance of this Privacy Policy.
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Echelon Wellness staff will safeguard, according to strict standards of security and confidentiality, any information you share, whether arising from initiating your ‘client record’ or otherwise.
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Echelon Wellness will limit the collection, use and disclosure of your PHI to what is necessary to deliver comprehensive health care services and to comply with legal obligations.
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Echelon Wellness will only permit its authorized health care providers (Providers) and staff members who are either providing direct health care services or providing administrative support to have access to your PHI – and in the case of personnel providing administrative support, only to the PHI necessary to perform their job functions. In summary, only those staff who have a need to know or a right to know will have access to your PHI. This will apply to information in all forms, including paper or electronic Client charts and administrative forms and records.
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All Echelon Wellness Providers and staff members undergo periodic privacy training and review privacy policies and procedures at least annually. Staff who violate our Privacy Policy will be subject to discipline and possible retraining. Where required by applicable law, our Providers will execute an Oath regarding the sanctity and protection of PHI.
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Echelon Wellness will not reveal your PHI to any external organization unless we have previously informed you in disclosures or agreements and received your explicit authorization or unless we are required to do so by law.
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Echelon Wellness will not use or share, internally or externally, your PHI for any purpose other than the provision or administration of your Echelon Wellness services, or as otherwise disclosed when the information is collected, or to which you otherwise consent. We do anonymize and aggregate data for the purpose of improving our technologies and our services, but those data are not reintegrated into personal information thereafter.
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Echelon Wellness will strive to keep your files complete, up-to-date and accurate. We will advise you how to access your health record information and how to notify us of errors – which we will promptly correct. Please contact Echelon Wellness for further details.
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Echelon Wellness has appointed a Privacy Officer to oversee, monitor and report all privacy issues and concerns. You may contact Echelon Wellness’s privacy officer at:
Echelon Wellness Privacy Officer
Terms
Capitalized terms in this Privacy Policy have the same meanings as the same capitalized terms used in the Echelon Wellness Terms of Service. [Click here to read.]
Online Security
There are extensive safeguards built into the Echelon Wellness website and the servers and operating system it runs on. Echelon Wellness ensures protected end-to-end encryption across all devices. All communication and registration information on the website is protected using SSL/TLS technology.
We choose partners who provide encrypted software to ensure your communications and records are private and secure.
Personal Information
Your Provider is registered with his or her professional or statutory regulator and adheres to its privacy requirements as well as to applicable privacy laws. In Newfoundland, for example, your Provider executes an Oath to protect all PHI.
Necessary PHI is collected during registration and assessment in order to provide you an effective treatment plan. We protect your confidentiality and your rights regarding this information. The nature of PHI that Echelon Wellness collects may include:
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Information required to create and maintain a working file according to the standards of your Provider’s profession and applicable regulator, such as your name, address, phone number, email address, next of kin, and the like. Your Provider will collect information about your online session including notes detailed enough to reflect the scope of the work and your Provider’s actions in this regard, any correspondence sent or received, any consents or other documents you have signed, copies of papers you have given your Provider, and other documentation particular to the nature of your treatment.
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Information necessary for billing purposes, which may include reference to your health insurance plans, benefits plans and employee assistance programs (if any) and their respective standards; third party payors; and copies of all receipts given to you, including copies of electronic payments, copies of invoices and billing records.
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Information related to the scheduling of treatments with you.
Your Provider will collect this information for the following reasons:
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To maintain a clinical file/account or working file that meets the standards of his or her regulator, insurers and applicable privacy laws.
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To provide services to you in a manner that is mindful of your safety.
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To maintain business and taxation records.
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To meet other legal and regulatory requirements.
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To maintain a high standard of professionalism in the provision of services.
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To assist the process of billing for services.
Confidentiality on the part of your Provider may be waived under circumstances in which your Provider is bound by law to report to legal authorities under the following circumstances:
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If your Provider is required by law to do so;
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If your Provider assesses that there is a risk of harm to you or others;
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If your Provider assesses that there is a risk to the public, including threats of terrorism.
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If your Provider is required to defend against a complaint filed with his or her regulator;
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If your Provider assesses that a child or elder or other vulnerable person may have been harmed in the past, or that a child or elder or other vulnerable person is at risk of harm in the present or future. In all cases, the Provider has a legal duty to report this;
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If your Provider is bound to report a colleague to the relevant regulator for professional misconduct;
Otherwise, your Provider will make every attempt to safeguard your PHI. You should be aware of the following:
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Your file contains all PHI about you and your situation with the exception of copies of billing information such as receipts and electronic payments. Files are secured on an encrypted drive/secure database.
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Your Provider will not store information about you on a computer that is not encrypted.
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Your name is maintained according to regulations set by the Provider’s regulator and in accordance with other legal and professional requirements.
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When information about you is no longer required, it is destroyed or deleted from the encrypted drive in which it is stored.
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If you elect to transfer to another Provider, or in the event of incapacity or death, your Provider or a designated Echelon Wellness staff person may have access to your PHI in order to assist you in a transfer of PHI to another health care provider. Even if your PHI is transferred to another health care provider, Echelon will still be required to maintain the file according to legal and regulatory standards applicable to your Provider.
Your Rights
You have the right to request access to any PHI that your Provider has collected about you or your situation. You have the right to view your clinical file. Your Provider will assist you to understand what has been written in your file. If you believe that some information about you is incorrect, you may request that the information be changed. If your Provider agrees that the information is incorrect, your Provider will then correct this information in your file and also with any third parties who may have been given the wrong information. If you wish to view your file or if you have any concerns about the privacy of your information, please contact Echelon Wellness at (647) 478-2050 or privacy@echelonwellness.ca.
Using Echelon Wellness Apps on Wi-Fi and Hotspots
If you elect to access your file or any of our services on public Wi-Fi networks or Hotspots PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU USE A VPN CONNECTION. Use your mobile provider’s data plan or an Ethernet connection at home. Your communication with us may be vulnerable over public access networks. It is your responsibility to ensure your end of communication with your Provider is private and secure.
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at (647) 478-2050 or privacy@echelonwellness.ca.