R.K. MacDonald Nursing Home is committed to protecting the privacy of your personal health information, in accordance with the Personal Health Information Act.
- How the Personal Health Information Act Protects Your Personal Health Information – PDF
Circle of Care
Your Circle of Care is made up of members of your health care team who are involved in your ongoing care. This includes health professionals such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, psychologists, social workers and other health care providers. Your personal information is always available to people in your Circle of Care. You do not need to complete a consent form to share this information with them. Access to your personal health information is available to those who need to know in order to provide care, as well as external inspection personnel (Monitoring and Compliance Officers from Department of Health and Wellness) may also view your personal health records on site. They are responsible for following Nova Scotia’s Personal Health Information Act. You can also identify the family and/or friends who are able to know details about your healthcare-beyond general updates.
In collecting, using or disclosing your personal health information, we take measures to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of the information is protected in accordance with the Personal Health Information Act. This Privacy Statement provides a brief description of the Nova Scotia Health Authority’s practices for the collection, use and disclosure of personal health information.
The personal information we collect may include:
- Your name
- Date of birth
- Provincial health card number
- Address
- Health history
- Information about the tests, procedures and care you received
We collect personal health information directly from you or from the person acting on your behalf. Sometimes, we ask other health professionals or health care organizations involved in your care for your personal health information. This helps us provide care to you. We may collect personal health information from other sources, if the law allows or with your consent. Personal health information may be collected and stored in different ways. This includes your paper chart, electronic file and images.
Using and Disclosing Your Personal Health Information:
We use and disclose your personal health information to:
- Treat and care for you during your stay
- Help other health professionals outside of R.K. MacDonald Nursing Home who are involved in your care to provide health services to you. This could include your family doctor, pharmacist or hospital staff.
- Receive payment from your provincial health care plan, private insurer or other body for delivering care to you.
- Conduct activities that help us improve the quality of care and patient safety, and manage risk
- Give family or friends confirmation information regarding your general condition (e.g. fair, good) on the day they request the information.
- Notify a representative of your faith group so that they can visit during your stay, if you identify your faith group.
- Plan and manage our operations. For example, staff scheduling, management of beds, etc.
- Enable the provincial Department of Health and Wellness to plan and manage the health system.
- Fulfill other purposes permitted under law. Some examples: reporting abuse, reporting certain communicable diseases, in accordance with a warrant or subpoena.
Your Rights
You may withdraw or withhold your consent for the following uses and disclosures of health information. We will do what we reasonably can to meet your wishes.
- Confirmation of your status as a resident. As soon as you move in, please let staff attending to your care know that you want this information shared if we receive phone or in person enquiries. Your name will be included on a room registry in the front entrance- if you do not wish for it to appear there, please let the Registered Nurse of Licensed Practical Nurse in your care area know.
- Use or disclosure to a specific health professional or health organization involved in your care.
- Educational activities
- Notification of religious representatives (if you have identified your religion)
You have the right, subject to some exceptions, to:
- see and ask for a copy of your health information
- ask us to make corrections to inaccurate or incomplete health information
- be told if your information is lost, stolen or shared with someone without authorization.
- change your mind if you have previously given us permission to use or share your health information
Contact Information
Michelle Thompson
CEO R.K. MacDonald Nursing Home / Halifax Privacy Officer
64 Pleasant St, Antigonish, NS, B2G 2K9
Phone: 902-863-2578 ext 232
Email: mthompson@rkmacdonald.ca
Fax: 902-863-4437