Privacy

This notice describes how information about you may be collected, used, and disclosed by EM/ANB and how you may access that information. Everyone working within EM/ANB and Medavie Health Services New Brunswick (MHSNB) is required to follow the terms of this notice.

Introduction

EM/ANB and NB Health Link are subject to the Personal Health Information Privacy and Access Act (PHIPAA) and its regulations. This legislation applies to personal health information that we collect, use, or disclose that falls under the application of the PHIPAA. This may include information in oral or recorded form pertaining to your health or health services provided to you, as well as personal information such as your name, address, and Medicare number when it is collected and retained by EM/ANB or NB Health Link in connection with these activities.

EM/ANB and NB Health Link are also subject to the Right to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (RTIPPA) and its regulations. This legislation applies to all personal information within our custody or control that falls under the application of the RTIPPA. This may include recorded information about an identifiable individual, for example, name and address, financial circumstances, employment information, or the personal views or opinions of an individual.

Medavie Health Services New Brunswick (MHSNB) is responsible for managing EM/ANB and NB Health Link to provide comprehensive, coordinated care to New Brunswickers.

This notice is intended to help fulfill our obligations under the privacy laws by providing details to the public about our information practices. Everyone working within EM/ANB, NB Health Link, and MHSNB is required to comply with our policies and practices to protect personal information and personal health information under the terms of this notice.

This notice describes:

• how information about you may be collected, used, and disclosed by EM/ANB and NB Health Link,
• your rights with respect to the information we collect, and
• who to contact for more information or to file a complaint.

Safeguarding your privacy

Each time we collect, use, or disclose your information, we do so for a specific purpose in accordance with our mandate within the healthcare system, in compliance with New Brunswick’s applicable privacy legislation, and with only the minimum amount of information necessary. We will not collect, use, or disclose your information for purposes not reasonably connected to those outlined in this notice without your consent, unless otherwise permitted or required by law.

We value your privacy and are committed to managing your information reasonably and responsibly. We have implemented physical, administrative, and technical safeguards to protect the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of your information. For example, information that you provide when you receive services is maintained in a secure location with access restricted to individuals who need to know information to perform their role.

How we collect information about you

We collect information when you receive services in order to provide you with care and to process any payments for health-related services. This information includes, for example, your name, address, and Medicare number as well as facts about your health, health care history and the care and treatment you have received.

By virtue of seeking care from us and reviewing this notice, we may assume that you have consented to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal health information to receive care and for other specific purposes related to planning, evaluating and managing the healthcare system, as permitted by law.

If we determine that you are incapable of providing pertinent information about yourself, such as when you are seriously ill, information may be collected from others in order to provide you with appropriate care in a timely manner.

Please note that all calls to our Medical Communications Management Center, which receives, triages and assigns resources to respond to requests for land and air ambulance services, are recorded.

How we may use and disclose information about you

We may use and disclose your information for one or more of the following purposes:

1. Provision of health care and health-care services
EM/ANB and NB Health Link use the information that you provide to respond to your health care needs based on the situation and to treat you appropriately. We also share your information with other health-care providers to the extent necessary to provide you with care. For example, if you use ambulance service, we may be required to discuss your medical situation with other health care providers on route to the hospital and we will provide the receiving hospital with a copy of the record we create in the course of providing you with treatment and transport. If you use the services of the Extra-Mural Program (EMP) or NB Health Link, details of the treatment(s) provided to you and your medical condition may be shared with other health care providers that are in your circle of care to the extent necessary to ensure you receive appropriate care and services. If you require ambulance or TeleCare (811) services and have an EMP care plan, some or all of the information in your care plan may be shared with those providers in order to ensure consistent, appropriate provision of care to you.

2. Billing and payment (Ambulance Service Only)
We use information we collect from you when you use ambulance services to present you with a bill for those services, to process payments, and to collect any outstanding amounts. Following three late notices, outstanding invoices may be sent to a third party collections agency for pursuit of payment. We may also use information that you provide about your financial circumstances to determine if you are eligible for specialized billing arrangements.

3. Planning, management, and quality assurance
We use information related to your care for administration, management, quality assurance and decision-making purposes and to respond to or investigate complaints. For example, we may use your information to evaluate our services, including the performance of our staff in caring for you. This is necessary to continually improve the quality and effectiveness of the healthcare services that we provide. Information about our operations, which may include identifiable information about your care, is also disclosed to the New Brunswick Department of Health for health oversight activities including audits, to ensure that our personnel meet pre-determined standards of care and follow established policies and procedures.

4. Other purposes as required or permitted by law
EM/ANB and NB Health Link may be required by law to disclose your information. For example, we may release personal health information to coroners to assist in identifying a deceased person, determining cause of death, or carrying on their duties as authorized by law. If you are an organ donor, we may release health information to organizations that handle organ procurement or organ or tissue transplantation.

We may also be required to release your information in response to a court order, subpoena, or other legal process and for law enforcement activities in limited situations, such as when the information is needed to locate a suspect, stop or investigate a crime, or when it is in the best interest of the public such as for reasons related to public safety.

How long we keep information about you

Records created during the provision of Extra-Mural Program and NB Health Link services are maintained in accordance with the Regulation under the Hospital Services Act, or until legal responsibility for your record is securely transferred to another provider.

Records created during the provision of ambulance service are maintained in accordance with the Regulation under the Ambulance Services Act.

All other records are kept for the period of time prescribed by applicable law or as required to satisfy the specific purpose for which the information was collected.

Your rights

You have the right to withdraw or limit your consent to the use and sharing of your personal information or personal health information, unless otherwise provided in the legislation. Withdrawing or limiting your consent may affect the provision of health care or other services we are able to offer you.

You have the right to request to examine or receive a copy of any public record, including the information we maintain about you, subject to limited exceptions. You may also ask us to correct your record if you believe it to be inaccurate or incomplete. You have a right to complain if you believe your access or correction rights have been violated.

You may give consent in writing for another individual, such as a relative or legal representative to obtain access to your information. In certain circumstances, it may be necessary for us to contact you to confirm the validity of your request, or to confirm the intended scope.

You may request access to, or correction of your personal information by completing and submitting the appropriate form (see links below), which may also be obtained from our Privacy Officer (contact information is listed below).

Information Requests for Ambulance Service

Information Requests for Extra-Mural Service

Information Requests for NB Health Link Service

How to contact us

If you have questions about this notice or if you have a concern about how we have handled your information, please contact:

Privacy & Information Access Officer
210 John Street, Suite 101
Moncton, NB
E1C 0B8
Phone: 872-6500

If we have been unable to address your inquiry or concerns to your satisfaction, you have the right to contact the Office of Ombud – Privacy and Access Division to voice your concerns or to file a complaint.