Your Privacy and Data

Personal Health Information

Collection of personal health information

Specific information is collected about you so that you can be accurately identified each time you visit the hospital. This information can include tests or procedures you have during your visit and is added to your health record.

Your personal health information may also be used to:

  • Quickly and accurately identify your health record each time you visit the hospital.
  • Provide you with the most effective and appropriate health services or treatment(s). The Ottawa Hospital keeps your health record so that your health-care providers have a complete summary of your health status.
  • Improve the quality and efficiency with which we provide health-care services.
  • Facilitate leading-edge research that has been approved by The Ottawa Hospital Research Ethics Board (REB). With REB approval, researchers at The Ottawa Hospital and the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute may use your health information in their research studies.
  • Support the hospital’s educational activities through our partnership with the University of Ottawa. Health information is available for teaching purposes, provided that measures are taken at The Ottawa Hospital to adequately protect your privacy and confidentiality.
  • Comply with legal and regulatory requirements. For example, we collect your provincial health insurance number because it is required to process and fund provincial health-care services. 

Personal health information that is collected is only available to hospital doctors or employees who are involved in your care. They can be involved directly (such as doctors, nurses, technologists, technicians, therapists, spiritual care practitioners, and other health professionals), or in a supporting role (such as Health Record Services and Financial Services).

Personal health information is also collected to be shared with:

  • Health-care organization members of the Atlas Alliance.
  • Health-care organization members using Care Everywhere.
  • Billing agents.
  • Community health-care partners.

The Ottawa Hospital shares personal health information as required by law. 

Access or corrections to your personal health information

Contact The Ottawa Hospital’s Health Records Department to access the information in your health record or to request a correction. If you usually receive care at a different hospital, please contact their health records department. 

The Ottawa Hospital - Civic Campus

613-798-5555 ext. 1872

1053 Carling Avenue 
Ottawa, ON  K1Y 4E9

The Ottawa Hospital - General Campus

613-737-8899 ext. 78800

501 Smyth Road 
Ottawa, ON  K1H 8L6

The Ottawa Hospital - Riverside Campus

613-738-8400 ext. 8223

1967 Riverside Drive 
Ottawa, ON  K1H 7W9

The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre

613-737-7700 ext. 70274

503 Smyth Road 
Ottawa, ON  K1H 7C4

Disclosure of personal health information

The Ottawa Hospital keeps your personal health information in an electronic health record. Other health-care providers, who are partners in your care, may access your electronic health record if they have signed an agreement with The Ottawa Hospital.  

  1. A care provider within your circle of care. 
    Your personal health information will be disclosed only to care providers involved in your care unless you have expressly withheld or withdrawn your consent to do so. Examples of care providers may include your attending doctor, nurses, family doctor, pharmacists, laboratory technicians, etc. Your personal health information will never be disclosed to any care providers who are not involved in your care without your consent to do so.
  2. You or your legal representative. 
    Your personal health information can be disclosed to someone who may legally act on your behalf if you are unable to do so (e.g.: power of attorney for personal care, substitute decision-maker).
  3. Any person or agency to whom the disclosure is required by law. 
    The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Personal Health Information Protection Act and others may require that we disclose personal health information.
  4. A health regulatory agency. 
    We share personal health information with agencies such as the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, and Health Canada if health regulations or laws require it. For example, hospitals are required to provide personal health information for billing, statistical reporting, and health-care management purposes.
  5. Any health-care provider partner. 
    This could include hospital partners through the Atlas Alliance, community health partners and provincial electronic health record systems. Your personal health information is shared to provide seamless care across health providers and will never be disclosed to any care providers who are not involved in your care without your consent to do so.
  6. Any third party you consent to. 
    This could include your private insurance company or lawyer, as long as you have consented to the disclosure by signing the Consent to Release of Information form, or as required by law.

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