Patient Privacy Policy

HOW OUR OFFICE COLLECTS, USES AND DISCLOSES PATIENTS??? PERSONAL INFORMATION

Our office understands the importance of protecting your personal information. To help you understand how we are doing that, we have outlined below how our office is collecting, using and disclosing your personal information.

This office will collect, use and disclose information about you for the following purposes:

• To assess your health needs and provide safe and efficient dental care.
• To enable us to contact and maintain communication with you to distribute health-care information and to book and confirm appointments.
  
• To communicate with other treating health-care providers, including other dentists, physicians, pharmacists and lab technicians.
  For teaching and demonstrating purposes on an anonymous basis.
  
• To complete and submit dental claims for third party adjudication and payment.
  
• To comply with legal and regulatory requirements.
  
• To deliver your charts and records to the dentist???s insurance carrier to enable the insurance company to assess liability and quantify damages, as necessary.
  
• To invoice for goods and services.
  
• To process credit card payments.
  
• To collect unpaid accounts.

Thank you for your support and understanding in helping our office to comply with all regulatory requirements, and generally with the law.

Office Policy Regarding Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities

Argyle Associates is committed to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities.

1. Our Mission
Our mission is to provide oral and maxillofacial surgery and anesthesia services to our patients in a safe, quality-controlled environment. We will strive to provide these services in both languages to meet and exceed all expected standards of practice; and to constantly try to exceed patient expectations.

2. Our Commitment
In fulfilling our mission, our oral surgery office strives at all times to provide services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. We are committed to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our services and to benefits from the services, in the same place, if possible and in a similar way as other patients of our office. If necessary, we will work with persons with disabilities to assist them in identifying alternative means to access our services.

3. Providing service to people with disabilities
3.1 Communication
We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.
3.2 Assistive Devices
We will ensure that our staff are trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our goods or services.
3.3 Service Animals
We welcome people with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals are allowed on the parts of our premises that are open to the public and not exempted by law.
This policy has been established pursuant to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).
This policy has been established pursuant to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).
3.4 Support Persons
A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on our premises.
Fees are not charged for support persons.

Notice of Temporary Disruption
In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities for customers with disabilities, we will notify customers promptly. This clearly posted notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated length of time and a description of the alternate facilities or services, if available.

Training for Staff
We will provide training to all employees, independent contractors, agents, volunteers and other who work with us and our behalf, with a view to ensuring that they are familiarized with our policies, practices and procedures for providing persons with disabilities and their families with dental services. This training will be provided to existing staff – at the time the policy is implemented; for new staff – when they commence their duties; and for all staff on an on-going basis.

Training will include:

• An overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard.
• Our plan related to the customer service standard
• How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.
• How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or support person.
• How to use any assistive devices available on-site devices and patient transfer protocol that may assist with providing goods and services to people with disabilities.
• What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing Argyle Associates' goods and services.
• Staff will also be trained when changes are made to our plan.
  

Feedback Process
Our ultimate goal is to meet and exceed patient expectations while serving people with disabilities. Comments on our services regarding how well those expectations are being met are welcome and appreciated. Feedback regarding
This policy has been established pursuant to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).
the way our oral surgery office provides services to people with disabilities can be brought directly to the attention of your surgeon by any method (e.g. in person, by telephone, by email, in writing, etc.)
If you have a complaint regarding accessibility, we ask that you speak with your surgeon directly. Your surgeon is committed to working with you to resolve your concerns.

Modification to this or other policies
We are committed to developing office policies that respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. No changes will be made to this policy before considering the impact on people with disabilities. We will modify or remove any office policy that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities.

Effective Date
This policy shall be in effect as of January 2012.