Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy for Northwestern Veterinary Hospital

Privacy of personal information is an important principle to the Northwestern Veterinary Hospital. We are committed to collecting, using and disclosing personal information responsibly and only to the extent necessary for the services we provide. We also try to be open and transparent as to how we handle information. This document describes our privacy policies.

What is Personal Information?

Personal information is information about an identifiable individual. Personal information includes information that relates to the person’s characteristics (e.g., gender, age, income, home address or phone number, ethnic background, family status), health (e.g., health history, health conditions, health services received by them) or their activities and views (e.g., religion, politics, opinions expressed by an individual, an opinion or evaluation of an individual). Personal information is to be contrasted with business information (e.g., an individual’s business address and telephone number), which is not protected by privacy legislation.

What Information is Protected?

Northwestern Veterinary Hospital is responsible for protecting any of your personal information that it has in its possession. This includes all personal information collected for or submitted to a third party to which you have consented (example – laboratory samples).

Collecting and Using Your Personal Information:

We collect and use your personal information to:

• Verify your identity
• Comply with federal, provincial, local law and by-law requirements 
• Bill goods and services 
• Collect unpaid accounts
• Send out health care reminders
• Make referrals to veterinary specialists and/or laboratories
• Verify information with grooming or boarding facilities

Your personal information may be collected, used or disclosed for any of the purposes identified above.  If your personal information is not required for one of these purposes, we will not use or disclose it without your prior consent.

How Do We Gather Your Personal Information?

• From you when you become a client at our clinic
• From reporting agencies (i.e. local humane societies, public health authorities)

Your Consent

We require your consent before we may collect, use or disclose any of your personal information, except under special circumstances, including police and/or cruelty investigations or other situations permitted by law.

How Do You Provide Us with Your Consent?

• Your signature, as provided on a specific “Consent” document
• Your written, verbal, or implied consent obtained during an appointment
• Your consent as provided by persons authorized by you to make decisions on your behalf

Accuracy

Northwestern Veterinary Hospital will make every reasonable effort to ensure that the personal information collected will be as accurate, complete and as up-to-date as possible for the purposes for which the information is to be used.

Safeguards

Northwestern Veterinary Hospital shall safeguard and protect all personal information under its control by implementing appropriate security measures based on the sensitivity of information.

Northwestern Veterinary Hospital shall ensure that its employees keep all personal information confidential and comply with the security standards established by this veterinary facility.

Northwestern Veterinary Hospital shall require that third parties to whom personal information is disclosed have committed to an appropriate level of security (which may include execution of a confidentiality covenant) in protection of such information.

On the disposal or destruction of personal information, Northwestern Veterinary Hospital shall take the necessary precautions to prevent third parties from accessing such information and to maintain the confidentiality of this personal information.

Transparency

Northwestern Veterinary Hospital will make specific information about our privacy policies and procedures available to any interested individual. Northwestern Veterinary Hospital will facilitate access to its personal information policies and procedures, including the identity of our Privacy Officer. Northwestern Veterinary Hospital will also ensure that individuals are able to gain access to their own personal information.

Individual Access to Personal Information

An individual providing personal information to Northwestern Veterinary Hospital will be informed of our personal information policy. This individual can access the information in order to ensure its accuracy and completeness, and shall be permitted to have it amended if it is inaccurate or incomplete.

Northwestern Veterinary Hospital will respond promptly to any request made by an individual to access his or her personal information.

Northwestern Veterinary Hospital will maintain a full record of all third parties to whom personal information has been disclosed, and will make this record available to an individual whose personal information has been so disclosed.

Questions and Concerns Regarding Compliance with this Policy

An individual providing personal information to Northwestern Veterinary Hospital may address any questions, concerns or complaints to the Privacy Officer. Northwestern Veterinary Hospital will establish a procedure for processing any complaint about this personal information policy to ensure that all complaints are dealt with in an objective, fair and effective manner.

Privacy Officer Contact Information:

Northwestern Veterinary Hospital
1160 Oliver Road
Thunder Bay, Ontario
P7B 7A4
Phone: 807-345-3353