In order to ensure our FHT operates safely and efficiently it is important that policies and procedures are established and understood by both patients and health care providers. Policies and procedures ensure there is an understanding of how different situations will be handled. As our FHT becomes more established, additional policies and procedures will be approved by Taddle Creek Family Health Team’s Board and posted here for our patient population.
Privacy & Confidentiality
Taddle Creek FHT understands our responsibility to keep your personal health information safe and confidential and to ensure we are in compliance with Ontario’s Personal Health Information Privacy Act, 2004 (PHIPA).
The Statement of Information Practices (see below) is a summary of the type of personal health information (PHI) collected, how it is used, our safeguards and who you can contact if you feel Taddle Creek FHT has not complied with PHIPA. In addition to the Statement of Information Practices, Taddle Creek FHT physicians have developed nine Policies & Procedures, one for each PHIPA section (see below). A brief statement of what each addresses is provided below:
Statement of Information Practices
1.01 Accountability for Personal Information – Outlines Taddle Creek FHT privacy contact persons and their responsibilities for PHI.
1.02 Purpose of Collecting Personal Health Information– Outlines why Taddle Creek FHT collects PHI (e.g. primarily for providing healthcare, however there are other purposes).
1.03 Consent to Collect, Use and Disclose – Outlines when Taddle Creek FHT relies on implied consent vs. express consent.
1.04 Limiting Collection of Personal Information– States Taddle Creek FHT will not collect more PHI than is reasonably necessary to meet our purposes.
1.05 Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention of PHI 2 – Outlines procedures to prevent unauthorized use by authorized users, procedures to disclose to external agencies, members of the ‘circle of care’, and 3rd party requests. It also outlines retention guidelines.
1.06 Ensuring Accuracy of Personal Health Information – Outlines correction procedures for PHI.
1.07 Ensuring Safeguards for PHI– Outlines physical, technological and administrative securities and controls for PHI.
1.08 Individual Access to their PHI – Outlines procedures for individuals wanting to access their PHI.
1.09 Challenging TC Physicians Compliance with Privacy Policy Practices – Outlines procedure to follow if you would like to complain about Taddle Creek FHT’s compliance with our Privacy Policy Practices.
Accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities
Taddle Creek FHT follows the accessibility standards for all patients as per the Accessiblity for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). The standards require organizations to identify, remove and prevent barriers for people with disabilities in key areas of daily living. Barriers keep people with disabilities from fully participating in activities that most of us take for granted. The customer service standard is the first standard to come into effect under the AODA.
4.03 Accessibility for Patients with Disability
No shows and late cancellations
Patients will be contacted, warned and discharged if they habitually do not show or do not inform the Family Health Team 24 hours in advance (one business day) of their inability to attend scheduled interdisciplinary health provider (social worker, dietitian, pharmacist) appointments.
This policy is necessary to ensure interdisciplinary health providers’ time is valued and access to medical care for those who need and want it is assured.
If for some reason you cannot make your appointment contact 416-260-1315, ext 0 as soon as possible. If no one can take your call, leave a message.
For more details on our No Show & Late Cancellations Policy & Procedure see below.
2.01 ‘No Show’ and Late Cancellations’ for Appointments
Note: This policy & procedure is specific to appointments scheduled with interdisciplinary health providers only. Primary care providers (physicians/nurse practitioners) manage their no show and late cancellations individually.
Complaints Resolution Process
As a patient of TC FHT, you have the right to safe treatment, respect, privacy, and active participation in your care and treatment. Please see our Patient Rights and Responsibilities Information for more information about our commitment to your care.
You are also entitled to access our complaints resolution process. If you have concerns about the care you have received or the services we have provided, you have the right to ask questions, make suggestions and make a complaint without fear that doing so will have a negative impact on your care.
We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, at the time they arise and with the person involved. If your problem cannot be sorted out in this way you can make a formal complaint. Ideally, you will let us know within a matter of days or weeks because this will enable us to establish what happened more easily and respond in a timely way.
See below for the procedure to make a complaint.
1.01 Complaints Resolution Process (updated)
Prescribing Opiates
Taddle Creek FHT will prescribe opioid medication for Taddle Creek FHT patients with chronic pain in a rational and accountable manner. This may include an assessment of your risk for addictive behaviour, a baseline pain assessment, your enterring into a treatment agreement, sending of a letter to your pharmacist and ongoing follow-up appointments.
Accepting New-Transfering-Discharging Patients
2.03 Accepting New-Transfering-Discharging Patients