PRIVACY

North Shore Health Network (NSHN) is committed to keeping your personal health information (PHI) confidential and secure. We take steps to protect your PHI from theft, unauthorized access, inappropriate collection, use and disclosure.

Collection of PHI

Protecting privacy is the law. NSHN respects your privacy and is committed to a secure system. At NSHN, we collect PHI about you directly from you or from the person acting on your behalf. Occasionally, we collect PHI about you from other sources if we have obtained your consent to do so or if the law permits. 

Use and Disclosure of PHI

NSHN may use and disclose your PHI to:

  • Treat and care for you

  • Receive payment for your treatment and care

  • Conduct risk management activities

  • Plan, administer and manage our internal operations

  • Conduct quality improvement activities

  • Compile statistics and patient satisfaction surveys

  • Conduct research and teaching

  • Fulfill other purposes permitted or required by law

  • Facilitate federal and provincial government initiatives

  • Our hospital foundation(s), so they may conduct fundraising to improve our health facilities, services and programs

  • Assist other health providers, agencies or hospitals in order to provide continuity of care

  • Inform inquiring individuals of your presence at NSHN

  • Page patients who leave their units or outpatient area’s without providing proper notification to staff

 Your Information, Your Choice

You may access and correct your personal health records or withdraw your consent for some of the above uses and disclosures by contacting us (subject to legal exceptions).

All information related to an individual at the NSHN must be treated as confidential under the Personal Health Information Protection Act. This information may be written, verbal or in any other form. Even the knowledge that an individual is in the NSHN must not be volunteered or acknowledged without the consent of the individual.

Confidentiality extends towards everything that the staff at the NSHN learn during the exercise of their duties. It extends to both important and unimportant information, the nature of the patient’s illness, the cause, treatment, and any information the patient may disclose.


You have a right to contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario if you think we have violated your rights.

Information & Privacy Commissioner Ontario:
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400 Toronto, ON M4W 1A8
Telephone: (416) 326-3333 or 1 (800) 387-0073 Fax: (416) 325-9195

NSHN Contact Information:
Privacy Office
525 Causley St. Blind River, ON P0R1B0
Email:  privacyoffice@nshn.care
(705) 356-2265 ext. 2620