Privacy Policy

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES YOUR RIGHTS AND HOW YOUR PERSONAL HEALTH INFORMATION MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED BY COWARD PHARMACHOICE .
PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

Personal Health Information and Privacy

Coward Pharmachoice understands that medical information about you and your health is personal. Coward’s is required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information, to follow the terms of this notice, and to provide you with this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your health information.

Coward’s is required to follow the terms of the Coward’s Privacy Policy that is currently in effect. A paper copy can be obtained.

Who Can Use and See Your Personal Health Information

Coward’s protects the privacy of your health information. For some activities it is necessary to obtain your written or verbal authorization to use or disclose your health information. However, the law permits Coward’s to use or disclose your health information for the following purposes without your authorization:

• For Treatment: Information obtained by Coward’s will be used to dispense prescriptions to you. Coward’s may disclose health information about you to pharmacists and patients own Healthcare Professionals as related to their prescriptions.
• For Payment: Coward’s may use and disclose your health information so that your pharmacy services may be invoiced (billed) to, and payment may be collected from you, and your insurance company or other third party payors.
• For Health Care Operations: Coward’s may use and disclose health information about you for pharmacy operations. Unless you provide us with alternative instructions, Coward Pharmachoice may send refill reminders and other materials related to your healthcare to your residence. These uses and disclosures are necessary to run the pharmacy and assure that you receive quality customer service and healthcare.
• To Avert Serious Threat to Health or Safety: Coward’s may use and disclose health information about you when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety (e.g. request from hospital emergency personnel) or the health and safety of the public or another person. Disclosure is limited to only someone who is able to help prevent or treat the threat.
• Public Health Risks: Coward’s may disclose health information about you for public health activities. These activities are generally confined to the following: 
  a) To prevent or control disease, injury or disability;
  b) To report reactions to medications or problems with products;
  c) To notify customers of recalls of products they may be using;
  d) To notify a person who may be exposed to a disease or may be at risk of contracting a disease or condition; and,
  e) To notify the appropriate public authority if Coward’s believes the person has been a victim of abuse, neglect or domestic violence as required by law
• For Health Oversight Activities: Coward’s may disclose health information to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law. These activities, which are necessary for the government to monitor the health care system, include audits, investigations, inspections and licensure.
• Lawsuits and Disputes: If a customer is involved in a lawsuit or dispute, Coward’s may disclose health information about the customer in response to a court order or administrative order. Coward’s may also disclose health information about customers in response to a subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process as dictated by law.
• For Specific Government Functions: Coward’s may disclose health information for the following specific government functions:
  a) Health information of military personnel, as required by military command authorities.
  b) Health information of inmates, to a correctional institution or law enforcement official.
  c) In response to a request from law enforcement (if certain conditions are satisfied).
  d) For national security reasons.

Except as described in this Notice and the Coward Privacy Policy, Cowards will not use or disclose your health information without your written or verbal consent.

If you do authorize Coward’s to use or disclose your health information for another purpose, you may modify or revoke your authorization in writing at any time by contacting your Coward pharmacist.

Your Rights and Choices:

You, or a person who can make decisions for you about your personal health information, have the right:

• To request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your health information. Coward’s is not required to agree to a restriction that you request. If Coward’s agrees to any restriction(s), the customer will put the agreement in writing and Coward’s will follow it, except in emergency situations. Coward’s cannot agree to limit the uses or disclosures of information that are required by law.
• To inspect and copy your health information as long as Coward’s maintains the health information. Your health information usually will include prescription and billing records. To inspect or copy your health information, you may be required to submit a written request to the Coward’s store location that provides your services. Coward’s may bill for any cost(s) of copying, mailing or other supplies that are necessary to grant your request.
• To request that Coward’s amend your health information that is incorrect or incomplete. To request an amendment, it may be required to submit a written request to the servicing pharmacy location, along with the reason for the request. Coward’s is not required to amend health information that is accurate and complete. Coward’s will provide you with information about the procedure for addressing any disagreement with a denial.
• To receive a list of disclosures of your health information that Coward’s has made, other than disclosures: for Coward PharmaChoice treatment, payment or health care operations; to you or based upon your authorization; and, for certain government functions. Please submit a request to the Privacy Policy Officer. You must specify the time period, which may not be longer than six years.

Who You Can Speak to About Your Decisions: 

If you would like to exercise one or more of these rights, contact the pharmacy or submit a written request to:

Coward PharmaChoice Privacy Officer
165 Broadway
Tillsonburg ON N4G 3P9
Telephone: 519-842-4081
E-mail: gm@cowardpharmacy.ca

Other Important Information:

Changes to this Notice of Privacy Practices / Pharmacy Privacy Policy: This policy is effective as of September 12, 2022 and Coward’s is required to abide by the terms of the Notice of Privacy Practices and Pharmacy Privacy Policy. Coward’s reserves the right to change the terms of our Notice of Privacy Practices and make the new notice provisions effective for all protected health information that we maintain. Coward’s will post any revised notice in our pharmacy and you may receive a written copy of a revised notice by requesting orally or in writing.

For More Information or to Report a Problem:

If you have questions or would like additional information about Pharmacy privacy practices, you may contact our Privacy Policy Officer (above) or:

Information and Privacy Commissioner / Ontario
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400
Toronto ON N4W 1A8
Telephone: 416-326-3333 or 1-800-387-0073
Fax: 416-325-9195 TTY: 416-325-7539
E-mail: info@ipc.on.ca
Website: www.ipc.on.ca

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
112 Kent Street
Ottawa ON K1A 1H3
Telephone: 613-995-8210 or 1-800-282-1376
Fax: 613-947-6850 TTY: 613-992-9190