Privacy Policy
Association of Hearing Instrument Practitioners of Ontario
Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act & Ontario Health Information Protection Act
1.0 Overview
Privacy of personal information is an important principle to the “Association of Hearing Instrument Practitioners of Ontario”. We are committed to collecting, using and disclosing personal information responsibly and only to the extent necessary for the administration and services we provide.
The “Association of Hearing Instrument Practitioners of Ontario”, includes at the time of writing an Executive and Board of Directors and an Executive Director and two support staff. From time to time, we use a consultant and agencies that may, in the course of their duties, have limited access to personal information we hold. These include an accountant, a lawyer, and an audit agency. We restrict their access to personal information we hold as much as reasonably possible. We also have their assurance that they follow appropriate privacy principles.
2.0 Primary Purposes
We collect, use and disclose information in order to serve our members. For our members, the primary purpose for collecting personal information is to establish standards in the best interest of the hard of hearing; to improve education and ensure mandatory continuing education; to promote professionalism and consumer education and to provide a unified voice for all practitioners with respect to negotiations with government and other parties. For example, we collect information about our members to ensure that all members meet the qualification of membership, administering mandatory continuing education and internship program; maintaining a Code of Ethics and investing and resolving all complaints. A secondary purpose is to send out Association membership information, the Association magazine as well as post membership information on the AHIP website.
3.0 Protecting Personal Information
We understand the importance of protecting personal information. For that reason, we have taken the following steps:
- Paper information is either under supervision or secured in a locked or restricted area
- Electronic hardware is either under supervision or secured in a locked or restricted area at all times.
- Paper information is transmitted either through sealed, addressed envelopes or boxes by reputable companies.
- Electronic information is transmitted either through a direct line or is anaymized or encrypted.
- Staff is trained to collect, use and disclose personal information only as necessary to fulfill their duties and in accordance with our privacy policy.
4.0 Retention and Destruction of Personal Information
We need to retain personal information for some time to ensure that we can answer any questions you might have and for our own accountability to external bodies. We keep our membership files for seven (7) years after termination of membership. An archive of all other files is maintained.
We destroy paper files containing personal information by shredding. We destroy electronic information by deleting it and, when the hardware is discarded, we ensure that the hard drive is physically destroyed.
5.0 Do You Have A Question?
Our Information Officer; Joanne Sproule can be reached at:
A.H.I.P.
55 Mary Street W, Ste #211
Lindsay, ON
K9V 5Z6
705-328-0907
She will attempt to answer any questions or concerns you may have.
If you wish to make a formal complaint about our privacy practices, you may make it in writing to our Information Officer. She will acknowledge receipt of your complaint; ensure that it is investigated promptly and that you are provided with a formal decision and reasons in writing.
If you have a concern about the professionalism or competence of our professional staff please contact our Executive Director:
Joanne Sproule, Executive Director
55 Mary St. W, Ste #211
Lindsay, ON
K9V 5Z6
This policy is made under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. This is a complex Act and provides some additional exceptions to the privacy principles that are too detailed to set out here. There are some rare exceptions to the commitments set out above.
For more general inquires, the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Canada oversees the administration of the privacy legislation in the private sector. The Commissioner also acts as a kind of ombudsman for privacy disputes. The information and Privacy Commissioner can be reached at:
The Office of Information
And Privacy Commissioner
112 Kent Street
Ottawa, ON
K1A 1H3