Please be aware that a 48 hour cancellation policies is in effect. If you are unable to keep your appointment, please email or phone. If you do not contact me within 48 hours of your appointment, you will be invoiced for 50% of the treatment cost.
As sole proprietor, I am the Health Information Custodian [HIC] for my clinic and am committed to collecting, using and disclosing personal information responsibly and only to the extent necessary for the goods and services provided through my practise. My policies are made in accordance with the Massage Therapy Act, 1991, CMTO Standards of Practice, Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, 2000, and the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004. .
What is personal information?
Personal information is information about identifiable individuals and includes information that relates to:
An individual's personal characteristics (e.g., gender, age, home address or telephone number, family status); Health (e.g., health history, health conditions, health services received by them); Activities and views (e.g., opinions expressed by an individual, an opinion or evaluation of an individual).
Uses and Disclosure of Personal Information
I use and disclose your personal health information to:
Third Party Access to Information
As required by law, The College of Massage Therapists of Ontario may inspect my records as a part of their regulatory activities in the public interest. In addition, various government agencies (e.g., Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, Information and Privacy Commissioner, Human Rights Commission, etc.) have the authority to review my files as a part of their mandates. In these circumstances, I may consult with professionals (e.g., lawyers, accountants).
Your written consent will be requested before submitting any personal health information to non-regulatory agencies (e.g. Insurance companies, lawyers) who may request it on your behalf.
PROTECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
For the purpose of protecting personal health information, the following procedures are in effect:
Retention And Destruction Of Personal Information
As a sole practitioner, I am responsible for collecting, maintaining and protecting personal health information collected for my practise for a minimum of ten (10) years, as required by law.
After a period of ten years, any paper files containing personal information will be destroyed by shredding; Any information stored electronically will be destroyed by deleting it and, when the hardware is discarded, the hard drive will be physically destroyed and/or;
Some or all of the file will be sent to the patient.
In the event that my practice closes or I am no longer the sole proprietor, my files will be transferred to the care of another designated Health Information Custodian (HIC). Details of the new HIC and location of files will be made known to all of my patients.
How To Contact
For more information about my privacy protection practices, or to raise a concern you have, contact me at 416-200-8591 or by email at coletteslonermt (at) gmail.com
Other Important Contacts
A link to the complete Personal Health Information Protection Act can be accessed here: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/04p03
A link to the complete Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act can be accessed here: http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/P-8.6/index.html
The College of Massage Therapists of Ontario can be reached at (800) 465-1933 or by email at cmto@cmto.com
The office of the Ontario Privacy Commissioner can be reached at (800) 387-0073. The office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Canada can be reached at (613) 995-8210
As of September 11, 2017, the College of Massage Therapists (CMTO) implemented new Standards of Practice for all RMTs in Ontario regarding consent, professional conduct and treatment of sensitive areas. These new Standards were put in place in response to Bill 87: Protecting Patients Act, a part of which is dedicated to protecting patients from sexual abuse by health care providers.
One of the most significant changes for RMTs is the new regulation requiring written consent for treatment of sensitive areas. The CMTO has defined “sensitive areas” to include: chest wall musculature, breast tissue, upper/inner thigh and gluteal region. As a patient of mine, you should be aware that I fully comply with these new Standards of Practice. If there is a clinical indication for treatment of any of the sensitive areas, we will discuss the treatment and you will be required to review and sign a consent form prior to treatment. This form is not a blanket consent, as consent is always an ongoing process and can be rescinded at any time.
As an RMT, I am dedicated to providing you with safe and effective treatments. Your comfort and engagement in the treatment process are extremely important to me, and you have the right to receive the care you want and need. The following are some important patient rights that you should expect from me, and any RMT practising in Ontario.
To tell your story and to be listened to
This includes your medical history and anything else you feel is important. You can tell your story in whatever way you like and share only as much as you are comfortable. You may decline to answer certain questions. Be aware, however, there are certain pieces of information that I am required to collect (see CMTO Standard of Practise 6)
To ask questions and receive satisfactory answers
You may ask questions at any time during our meeting(s). I will always do my best to answer in a clear, truthful way and in accordance with the current evidence as I understand it. I may have to say, “I don’t know, let me get back to you.”
To have the Massage Therapy Treatment explained to you
This includes: what we are going to do, why we are going to do it, and how we are going to do it. I aim to explain these things as simply and clearly as possible and questions are always welcome.
To understand the risks and side effects
Many of us see Massage Therapy as pretty risk-free. Most of the time this is true. But there are some techniques that may be riskier than others and there are underlying health issues or medications that can increase the risks. Side effects are not as serious as risks, but you should be made aware of those as well.
To say no to some or all of the treatment
When the treatment is explained to you, you are free to say yes to all of it, some of it, or none of it. For instance, you may be OK with certain areas being touched, but not others. This is your opportunity to voice those preferences.
To be given alternatives
If you say no to any or all of the treatment proposal I will make some other suggestions. I have quite a few techniques available to use and we may be able to find something you would prefer. If we can’t find common ground on anything, I can refer you to another health care provider that can help.
To say no at any time
Seriously. Consent is an ongoing thing. Just because something might be OK during one treatment, you may not be OK with it at the next. Or just because you are OK with something before we start treatment, during treatment you may decide against it. You are also free to stop the treatment at any time.
To Speak to a Third Party About My Conduct
By choosing to be treated by a Registered Massage Therapist, you are assured that you have the right to complain to the CMTO, the College that regulates my profession, should you be harmed in any way during your treatment. This right extends to all harm, not just physical. For further information about the role of the CMTO in protecting the public, to find out the current status of an RMT in Ontario, or to lodge a complaint, please visit: http://www.cmto.com/ensuring-professional-conduct/
