Last Updated: January 30, 2023
Medcan is committed to protecting the privacy of your personal information, including your personal health information. Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. It explains how we collect, use, handle, and disclose your personal information.
This Privacy Policy applies to any personal health information or other personal information that we collect from you when you: (i) use the myMedcan online client portal (the “Portal”), (ii) visit and receive care at a Medcan health facility or through our virtual care services, (iii) visit our websites where this Privacy Policy is posted (the “Websites”), or (iv) otherwise interact with us.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. COLLECTION AND USE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
We may collect and use your personal information, including your personal health information, when you:
Health Care and Wellness Services: We collect your personal health information to enable Medcan health care providers to provide you with health care services when you visit one of our clinics, receive virtual care services, use our Portal, or otherwise engage with us. We may also collect relevant personal health information about you from your other health care providers, in order to enable Medcan health care providers to provide you with our health care services. Your personal health information is stored in your medical record which is accessible to health care providers, employees, agents and contractors in our clinics and through virtual care technologies. We also collect personal information (which may include personal health information) to provide you with wellness services. Information we collect to provide you with wellness services is not stored in your medical file.
While the nature of the personal health information you provide us will be unique to you and your health care needs, in general, we may collect information such as your name, gender, date of birth, general health concerns, personal and family medical history (including information about any treatments, diagnosis, or prescriptions), physician and medical referral appointment information, health care documents (including reports and imaging results), health card number, and other relevant health information, for the purposes of determining suitability for, planning and delivering health care services to you.
Virtual Care Services: Medcan health care providers offer virtual care services to provide non-urgent, non-emergency health care services remotely, either through real-time video or audio technology. If you choose to use our virtual care services, Medcan may request that you verify your identity such as by showing the health care provider your government-issued photo ID at the start of your virtual care session. Virtual care sessions are not recorded. If you and your health care provider exchange personal information through the chat functionality in a virtual care session, relevant information may be stored in your medical record.
We do our best to make sure that any information you give to us during virtual care visits is private and secure, however, as with all online communications, there is a risk that your health information may be intercepted or unintentionally disclosed. To help mitigate the risk, you should be in a private setting and should not use an employer’s or someone else’s computer/device. For additional information, please review the Client Information Sheet on Virtual Care included in your booking confirmation email.
myMedcan Portal: As a Medcan client, you will create an online account to access and use the Portal in order to communicate with us, book and view appointments, view the status of your upcoming or past referrals, purchase products and services, access test results and use our virtual care services. In order to create and administer your account and authenticate you, we will collect your full name, email address, date of birth, and a password that you create. We also collect your provincial health card number to provide you with provincially funded health resources and to accurately identify and link your personal health information records. You will also have the option to add information to your account profile, such as your gender, address, preferred method of contact phone number, emergency contact information, marital status, employment status, workplace name, role which help us understand your needs and tailor our products, services, and pricing to you. The information in your account profile on the Portal may automatically update to reflect information you provide to Medcan when you book a service or visit our clinic. You are required keep your username and password secure and not share it with anyone else. We will never ask you for your password in any unsolicited communication (such as letters, phone calls or email messages).
Appointment Booking: We collect personal information when you book an appointment with a health care provider through the Portal, by phone, text message, email or in person. This information may include the type of visit you would like (i.e. in person, virtual or by phone), name, reason for booking the visit, medical history, and emergency contact information. We use this information to book your appointment and provide the health care provider with the information they need to deliver health care services to you. For certain products and services, we will request a credit card number at the time of booking as described below. You can manage some of your appointment bookings or view your past and upcoming appointment bookings through the Portal or by contacting us.
Payment: If you purchase a product, service or membership from Medcan, we (or our authorized third party payment processor) will collect your full name, payment information (including billing address, credit card number, expiry data and CVV code), or if applicable, your private health insurance information, in order to process the transaction and enable Medcan health care providers to provide you with the health care services you have purchased.
Website Chat Functionality: When you use our chat functionality to chat with a live agent to make an inquiry, provide feedback, or make a request, we may collect information about you such as your first and last name and email address and mobile phone number, your specific feedback or request and the contents of your messages with us. We use this information to respond to your inquiry or process your request. Please do not provide any sensitive or health information to us through the chat functionality.
Marketing Communications: The provision of health information and educational material is a core feature of the Medcan service offering. When you join Medcan (or, if we otherwise have your consent) we will collect and use your full name, email address and/or your mobile phone number to provide you with marketing communications including information about Medcan resources, services, offers, events and promotions that may be tailored to your interests and interactions with Medcan.
You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link included at the bottom of each email or by adjusting your preferences through your account profile in the Portal. Alternatively, you can opt out of receiving email marketing communications by contacting us using the contact information provided in the “Contact Us” section below. Please note that you may continue to receive transactional, informational or account-related communications from us even if you unsubscribe from marketing communications.
You can cancel this service at any time by texting “STOP” to MEDCAN (633226). After you send the message “STOP” to us, we will send you a reply message to confirm that you have been unsubscribed. After this, you will no longer receive messages from us. If you have a question or need more information, text “HELP” to MEDCAN (633226) to receive additional contact information. You can resubscribe at any time by texting “JOIN” to MEDCAN (633226). Standard text message rates may apply. Contact your wireless provider for details.
Surveys: From time to time, we may offer you the opportunity to participate in one of our surveys. We may use the information we obtain through our surveys, which may include personal health information, to review and identify opportunities for improving our delivery of health care and wellness services to our clients and as otherwise explained to you at the time of the survey.
Research and Analytics: From time to time, Medcan may participate in medical research projects utilizing personal health information previously and/or prospectively collected for the purpose of improving the health and wellness services at Medcan and advancing medical knowledge. Medcan will not use or disclose your personal health information for these projects in a manner that can identify you without first obtaining your consent or in a manner consistent with applicable law, such as with the approval of a research ethics board. Medcan may generate de-identified information and disclose this information to third-parties who are part of the research project and bound to use the data for the purposes of the study. De-identified information is information that has had identifiers and other information removed so that it is not reasonably foreseeable that the information could be used, alone or in combination with other information, to identify an individual. Medcan may also generate and analyze de-identified data to create comparative statistical benchmarking reports across client groups or sectors to better understand health trends and to improve Medcan’s operations, products and services. Such benchmarking reports may be shared with third-parties (such as corporate clients of Medcan) in order to provide insight across client and corporate populations on an aggregate basis.
Perspective Papers: If you download one of our perspective papers or other publications through our Website, we may collect your first and last name, name, and email address in order to facilitate the download. If you consent, we will also add you to our email marketing list.
Careers: If you use our Website to apply for a job with Medcan, you may provide us with certain personal information about yourself, such as information contained in a resume, cover letter, or similar employment-related materials. We use this information for the purpose of processing and responding to your application. For more information, please contact us to request a copy of the Medcanner Privacy Policy.
Visit a Clinic: We may conduct video recording for security purposes via the use of cameras located in public areas of our clinic, such as the reception area and the clinic entrance and exit area. In areas of our clinic where we conduct video recording, we will post signs to notify you.
Contacting Us: You may get in touch with Medcan, including by telephone, email or by using the chat functionality on our website or through the Portal. When you contact us with a comment, question or concern, you may provide information that identifies you, such as your name, email and phone number, along with additional information we need to help us promptly answer your question or respond to your comment. We may retain this information to assist you in the future. In addition, we may monitor and record our telephone conversations with you for documentation, training, and quality assurance purposes. If you do not wish to have your call recorded, you have the option to speak with us in person or communicate with us by email.
2.SHARING OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
We do not sell, rent or disclose your personal information to third parties without your consent, except as described below or as required or permitted by applicable law.
3. STORAGE AND LOCATION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
We use service providers who may access or store personal information or personal health information in the U.S., or other foreign jurisdictions in the course of providing services to us. Personal health information that forms part of your medical record is stored in Canada but may be transferred outside of Canada (for example, to specialists located outside of Canada for the purposes of providing health services to you).
4. INFORMATION ABOUT OUR WEBSITE
5. SAFEGUARDS AND RETENTION
We have implemented reasonable administrative, technical and physical measures in an effort to safeguard the personal information in our custody and control against theft, loss and unauthorized access, use, modification and disclosure. The only Medcan employees and service providers who have access to our clients’ personal information are those who “need-to-know” the information in order to carry out their job duties.
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to carry out the purposes discussed in this Privacy Policy or to meet our legal or business requirements. Personal health information that forms part of your medical record will be retained in accordance with provincial and territorial retention guidelines.
Medcan may also create and retain de-identified or anonymized personal information for internal research and analysis purposes, including to improve business operations.
6. YOUR CHOICES
7. ACCESS TO AND UPDATING OF INFORMATION
Subject to limited exceptions under applicable law, you have the right to access, examine, update and ask to correct inaccuracies in your personal information and personal health information in our custody and control (and, in certain provinces, to authorize another person to receive a copy of your personal health information). You may make such requests by emailing or writing to us using the contact information set out below. You also have the ability to update your personal information through your account profile or by calling Medcan. We may request certain personal information from you when you make such a request in order to verify your identity.
8. UPDATES TO THE PRIVACY POLICY
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes to our privacy practices. We encourage you to periodically review this page to ensure you are familiar with those changes. We will indicate at the top of this Privacy Policy when it was most recently updated.
9. CONTACT US
If you have any questions, concerns or comments about this Privacy Policy or the manner in which we or our service providers handle your personal information, or wish to request access to or correction of your personal information in our records, please contact us at:
Privacy Officer
150 York Street, Suite 1500
Toronto, ON M5H 3S5
(416) 350-5900
You may also bring your questions or concerns to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario by visiting www.ipc.on.ca.