Home Care Privacy Policy

At MapleKind Home Care (“MapleKind”, “we”, “us”, “our”), your privacy and the protection of your personal information are fundamental to our commitment to providing high‑quality care. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and safeguard your personal information, in accordance with the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (Ontario) (“PHIPA”), the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (Canada) (“PIPEDA”), and all other applicable privacy laws.

Scope

This Policy applies to all personal information and personal health information collected, used, or disclosed by MapleKind Home Care in the course of delivering our services, whether in‑person, by phone, electronically, or through our website.

What Information We Collect

We collect only the information necessary to provide safe, effective, and personalized care. This includes:

Personal Information: Name, contact details (address, phone, email), date of birth, emergency contacts, payment information.
Personal Health Information: Medical history, diagnoses, medications, care needs, records from other healthcare providers.
Service Information: Details about the services you receive, scheduling, feedback, and communications with our staff.
Website/Technical Information: IP address, device/browser type, and usage data when you use our website (collected in compliance with applicable law).

How We Use Your Information

We use your information strictly for the following purposes:

To assess, plan, deliver, and coordinate home care and related services.
To communicate with you or your authorized representatives about your care and appointments.
To maintain accurate and complete records as required by law.
To comply with regulatory requirements and fulfill our legal obligations (e.g., billing, audit, licensing).
To improve our services, subject to anonymization or your explicit consent for any secondary use (e.g., research, quality assurance).

We will not use your information for marketing or unrelated purposes without your informed, express consent.

Consent

We collect, use, and disclose your personal information only with your knowledge and consent, except as permitted or required by law.
You may withdraw or modify your consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions and reasonable notice.

How We Disclose Your Information

We may disclose your information:

To authorized staff and health care providers involved in your care, on a strict need‑to‑know basis.
To regulatory bodies or government authorities as required by law (e.g., public health, safety reporting, court order).
To third‑party service providers (e.g., billing, IT, secure cloud storage) under written agreements requiring confidentiality and compliance with PHIPA/PIPEDA.
With your express consent, to others (e.g., family, other health providers) as directed by you.

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information for commercial gain.

Safeguards and Data Security

We implement technical, physical, and administrative safeguards to protect your information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.
Access to personal health information is restricted to staff and contractors who require it to fulfill their duties and are trained in privacy obligations.
We use encrypted storage and transmission for sensitive information wherever possible.