Privacy and Confidentiality

We are committed to protecting your privacy and confidentiality.

Policies and procedures are in place to ensure your personal information and personal health information is not shared without your permission. All Eastern Health employees, agents, volunteers, contractors and those connected either indirectly or directly with Eastern Health must take an oath of privacy/confidentiality. Health-care professionals are also guided by their professional code of ethics.

Circle of care

Our staff works together to provide you with quality care and services. This may mean that some of your information will be shared among team members in your ‘circle of care’ to make sure you receive the appropriate care/service. The circle of care includes the people who need to know your personal health information in order to plan and provide your health care. This may include sharing information with health-care providers in other program areas, such as hospitals, if you require other services.

Sharing your information

Our duty is to keep your information private. We want to make sure information about your health is only shared with the people you want.

Your information will only be released when you give us approval to do so or when we are required or permitted by law. This includes sharing information with your family members. If you want us to share information with your family or friends, we ask you provide us with your written or verbal consent.

We suggest you arrange for one person, usually your substitute decision maker, who can call to receive information about your condition. Ask your friends and family to call your substitute decision maker if they want to receive information.  If you are no longer capable of making your own health decisions, information will only be shared with the appointed substitute decision maker. This person can then provide consent for us to share information with others.

To learn more about, please see Privacy and Confidentiality, Eastern Health.