We collect the following information about you:

• Identification and contact information (name, address, email address, phone number (including cell phone), health card number, date of birth, emergency contact information, etc.)
• Billing information (self-pay, provincial plan and/or private insurer)
• Health information (symptoms, diagnosis, medical history, test results, device usage, reports, and treatment)

We collect only the information that is required to provide care, administer the care that is provided, process your payments or third-party payments on your behalf, and communicate with you. We do not collect any other information or allow your information to be used for other purposes, without your express (i.e., verbal or written) consent, except where authorized or required by law.

Use of your Information: We use and/or disclose the personal information you provide to us for such purposes as follows:

• Provide products and services to you;
• Respond to a request you made to us;
• Process your requests/orders;
• Process and analyze your information and/or conduct client surveys to enhance and improve our services to you, your experience, and the overall customer experience;
• Enhance and improve our products and services;
• Inform you or your designated representative (via email, text, phone, or mail) either directly or through a third-party service provider of appointment reminders/confirmations, product warranty information, and/or special offers and discounts from use;
• Provide information or newsletter communications to you about our products and services; and
• Provide information to you about hearing loss and ear care.

Storing Your Information Outside of Canada. Amplifon is part of a global company, the headquarters of which is located outside of Canada. To provide hearing health care products and services to you, as well as to operate our business, we utilize the services of our affiliated entities to perform certain administrative functions on our behalf. This means that your personal information is transferred outside Canada for safe and secure storage and processing. While outside of Canada, your personal information is subject to the laws of the jurisdictions in which your personal information resides, and in accordance with those laws, may be accessed by the courts, law enforcement, and national security authorities of those jurisdictions.

Disclosure to Service Providers: We may also utilize third parties to perform services on our behalf. Where we disclose your personal information to such organizations, we require those service providers to enter into contractual agreements with us and to agree to use such information solely for the purpose of providing the services and to have appropriate safeguards for the protection of that information.

Disclosure to Other Health Care Providers: Unless you request otherwise, we may share your health information with other health care providers who are directly involved in your care, for the purposes of providing such care. We may also share your health information with such other persons involved in your care as you may request in writing from time to time.

Disclosures Authorized or Required by Law: We may also disclose your personal information without your consent where authorized or required by law (e.g., as required by court order, subpoena, search warrant, law, or regulation).

Disclosures to all Other Parties: Subject to the forgoing, we will not disclose your personal information to third parties (relatives, other persons/entities involved in your care, etc.) for any purpose unless we have your express consent.

Use and/or Disclosure due to Ownership Change/Corporate Restructuring: In the event of a change of ownership or corporate restructuring (i.e. a sale, merger, acquisition or transfer of our assets or similar action), we may share your personal information with our successors or assigns who may use and disclose your personal information only for the purposes described herein. We may also share your personal information, in accordance with applicable law, with third parties in advance of the transaction where necessary to permit those parties to determine whether to proceed or continue with the transaction. In all instances, the terms this document and applicable laws apply to the privacy and security of your information.

Appointment Reminders and Further Contacts: With your consent, we may use your personal information to contact you to remind you of a future appointment or to provide you with information on new or alternative treatments or other healthcare services and products we, or a third-party partner offers.

Voice Mail Messages. To support the management and delivery of services to you, it may be necessary to leave you voice mail messages at the contact phone number you provide us. Unless you expressly notify us otherwise, you consent to us leaving you voice mail messages with identifying personal health information at the contact phone number you provide us.

Withdraw Your Consent: You have the right to withdraw your consent to our future collection, use, and disclosure of your personal health information at any time. To withdraw consent, please submit your notice to our office in writing.

Anticipated Uses and Disclosures: You have the right to be informed about the anticipated uses and disclosures of your personal health information.

Refuse to Provide Health Card Number: You have the right to refuse to provide your Health Card Number as identification for non-health service.

Right to Designate Representation: You have the right to designate another person to make decisions about your personal health information.

Accessing Your Personal Information: You have the right to access or obtain a copy of your health record we have about you. If you request a copy of your record, one will be provided to you. We may charge you a fee for access to your record where allowed by law. If a fee is charged, we will provide you with a written estimate before we provide the service. We may require you to pay a deposit for all or part of the fee before we provide the service. To request access to, or obtain a copy of your health record, complete and submit a Disclosure Request/Authorization Form, a copy of which can be obtained through your provider or any other member of our staff.

Request Response Process: We will respond to your request within thirty (30) days of our receipt of your request to: (i) schedule an appointment for you or your authorized representative to review your records; or (ii) provide you or your authorized representative copies of the requested information. We may need to extend the time for responding to your request in certain circumstances. If this is required, we will communicate, in writing, the need to extend the time, the reason(s) for the extension, the date we anticipate we will be able to provide you with a response, and your rights of complaint under applicable law.

Request Decline Process: We reserve the right to decline your request for access or a copy where permitted or required by law.

If we refuse your request for access or a copy of your record, we will notify you of our refusal and the reasons for our refusal in writing. We will also provide contact information for the person who can answer your questions about the refusal and provide information about your rights to seek a review by the applicable provincial Privacy Commissioner (or official of similar responsibilities).

Request a Correction or Amendment to Your Health Record: We make every effort to ensure that your personal and health information is recorded accurately. If you believe information in your patient records that we maintain is inaccurate or incomplete, you or your legally authorized representative may ask us to correct the error or omission by submitting a completed “Correct or Amend Personal Information Request Form.” You can obtain a copy of the form from your provider or any of our staff.

Request Response Process: We will respond to your request within thirty (30) days of receipt, correcting information we have verified to be inaccurate or incomplete and will send a copy of the corrected information to any organization to which the inaccurate or incomplete information was disclosed within the past twelve (12) months.

Request Decline Process: Amplifon reserves the right to decline your request if we deem no correction or amendment is necessary. We will advise you of our decision to decline your request, and the reasons for our decision, in writing within 30 days of receiving the request. We will note your request and our response to your request in your file for future reference.

If you disagree with our decision to decline your request, we will make every effort to resolve the matter with you directly. If we cannot resolve the matter, you have the right to request a review by the applicable provincial Privacy Commissioner (or official of similar responsibilities).

How do we protect the privacy and security of your information? Amplifon has safeguards in place to protect the privacy and security of your information. These safeguards include a combination of physical (e.g., locked file cabinets), technological (e.g., firewalls, unique usernames, and passwords) and administrative (e.g., policies and procedures) security measures that are appropriate to the sensitivity of the information. These safeguards are aimed at protecting personal information against loss or theft, as well as unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use or modification.

What is our communications policy? We may use your personal contact information to communicate with you by phone, email, fax, or post/courier. Our communications policies and processes are in compliance with applicable laws.

How long do we keep information? We retain patient records as required by law and professional regulations.

How do we dispose of information when it is no longer required? When personal and health information is no longer required, it is destroyed in a secure manner, according to set procedures that govern the storage and destruction of personal information and in accordance with applicable laws.

The effective date of this notice is January 1, 2019. We reserve the right to change the policies and procedures described in this Notice at our sole discretion. If the terms of this Notice are significantly changed, Miracle-Ear will provide you with a revised notice at your next appointment and we will post the revised notice in designated locations at all Miracle-Ear locations and online.

This notice was last reviewed on May 8, 2024.