Privacy policy.

GREAT LAKES WELLNESS
PLEASE READ THESE TERMS & CONDITIONS AND THE PRIVACY POLICY CAREFULLY as they contain important information in regards to your legal rights, remedies, and obligations.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Great Lakes Wellness requires all visitors and users of this site, whether or not they have purchased, registered, or subscribed to any of our services, to carefully review these Terms & Conditions. By accessing or using our website, you acknowledge that you have read, understand, and agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions. Great Lakes Wellness reserves the right, at our sole discretion, to change, modify, add, or delete portions of these Terms & Conditions at any time, and by continuing to access or use our website, you acknowledge and agree to any such changes or modifications moving forward.

PRIVACY POLICY

General Commitment to Privacy

By using our website or services, you explicitly accept the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy outlined herein. All collection, use, or sharing of personal or proprietary information will be governed by the laws of Ontario. Great Lakes Wellness is committed to protecting your privacy whether you are accessing or using our website, opening an account, or receiving services, and will use reasonable efforts to ensure your data is safeguarded.

Personal Information

Personal information refers to data such as your name, address, phone number, email address, preferences, date of birth, emergency contact, and other general information. Great Lakes Wellness may only use personal information for the purpose for which it has been collected or for a consistent purpose unless another use is specifically authorized by law or required to maintain safety or security.

Collection and Use of Information

Great Lakes Wellness may collect additional information, including technological data, through your engagement with our website or services, such as cookies or tracking data. You may disable cookies on your browser if you prefer not to share this type of data. The information we collect may also include payment information required for processing transactions and may be shared with third-party platforms to facilitate secure payment processing.

Third-Party Services

Great Lakes Wellness is supported by trusted third-party partners, including but not limited to, eHealer, SmartWebPros, JANE App, Squarespace, Mailchimp, Domain.com, Gmail, and various payment processing platforms. These third-party services are utilized to enhance our operations, maintain privacy standards, and facilitate the delivery of our services. These partners may receive your personal information only to the extent necessary for them to perform the services they provide to us.

We strongly encourage you to review the respective privacy policies of these third parties, as your use of our services signifies your agreement to their terms and policies as well.

Additionally, Great Lakes Wellness or its partners may use cookies and other web technologies to collect standard information from your browser. This information helps us customize your experience and improve the functionality of our website. You can adjust your browser settings to disable cookies if you prefer not to share this type of data.

By engaging with Great Lakes Wellness, you agree to be bound by the privacy policies of these third parties and acknowledge that Great Lakes Wellness is not responsible for the privacy practices of these external services. We will not be held liable for any breaches or incidents that occur outside of our direct control.

If our website or services provide external links, your interaction with those links will be governed by the privacy policies and terms of the respective external sites or services. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with their terms before engaging with them.

COMMUNICATION POLICY

By providing your email address or other contact information, you consent to receiving informational and promotional communications from Great Lakes Wellness. You may opt out of promotional emails at any time by following the unsubscribe instructions included in the communication.

Please note that texting and phone communication are not secure methods of sharing sensitive information, and we recommend avoiding sending confidential or sensitive data through these channels.

SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

Social Media Policy emphasizes confidentiality and ethical boundaries. Therapists do not accept friend requests from current or former clients on personal social media accounts to maintain privacy. While Clients are welcome to follow practice accounts, Therapists do not follow Clients back to avoid confusion or breaches of confidentiality. Using social media to contact Your Therapist is discouraged, as it may compromise confidentiality and become part of the Client’s legal record. Business review sites are not platforms for Therapist-Client communication due to confidentiality, and Clients are encouraged to address concerns directly in therapy appointments. Lastly, Clients are advised on the privacy risks of using location-based services on their devices and are welcome to inquire about any aspect of this policy.

PERSONAL HEALTH INFORMATION AND RECORD KEEPING

The Clinic is committed to collecting, using, and disclosing personal health information responsibly and only to the extent necessary for the Services provided. This section outlines the Clinic’s privacy policies.

Practice Software

The Clinic uses JaneApp to securely store Your personal details and client notes. Click here (https://jane.app/guide/privacy-and-security/privacy-compliance-for-clinics-in-ontario) to learn more about JaneApp’s privacy and security policies. The Clinic also uses Google Workspace and eHealer (CRM) which are web- based systems to manage client communication. Google Privacy Policy (https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en-US) eHealer Privacy Policy (https://ehealer.com/privacy)

Record Keeping

The Therapist and Clinic will maintain records of all treatment appointments, client correspondence, reports, contact information, and other relevant documentation in accordance with applicable privacy legislation. The Clinic is the Health Custodian of the file. With only a few exceptions, You have the right to request access to Your personal health information, please email Your request to Support@greatlakeswellnessco.com. These requests may be subject to a fee.

Please be aware that email and text messages are not completely confidential and should only be used for administrative purposes. The Clinic cannot guarantee that text or email will be received, read, or responded to within any particular period. The Clinic corresponds to email and text during the work week, Monday-Friday. Please email Your Therapist and also call the office for any time-sensitive matters.

Disclosure of Personal Health Information

With only a few exceptions, Your personal health information will not be disclosed to persons outside this office without Your knowledge and expressed consent. The exceptions are circumstances in which disclosure is allowed by law:

  • If there is reason to believe that You are at serious and imminent risk of physically harming Yourself or another person;

  • If You report to knowledge of physical or sexual abuse of a minor child by an adult, or of an elderly or disabled person, your Therapist is required to inform the appropriate agencies;

  • If You become involved in a legal case (child custody, civil suit, etc.), and a subpoena is issued by a court;

  • If You report the sexual misconduct of a registered health professional;

  • If You become involved in a legal case (child custody, civil suit, etc.), and a subpoena is issued by a court;

  • Compliance with a court order to release information from a record;

  • When disclosure is needed to receive professional or legal consultation;

  • Comply with professional regulations established by the Regulatory Bodies, who may inspect records and interview staff as a part of their regulatory activities in the public interest;

  • If a Client is a minor under the age of 18, parent/guardian(s) do not automatically have access to the Client’s record. However, as a minor, the Client also has to be aware that there are circumstances where the parent/guardian might have access to the client’s information;

  • Insurance companies, employee assistance programs, credit card companies or other third-party payers as needed who often have Your consent or legislative authority to direct us to collect and disclose to them certain information to demonstrate Your entitlement to this funding and answer questions about our Services You have received;

  • To comply with regulatory authorities under the terms of the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA).

MODIFICATIONS

Great Lakes Wellness reserves the right, at our sole discretion, to change, modify, add, or delete portions of this Privacy Policy at any time. By continuing to access or use our website, you acknowledge and agree to any updates or changes made to this policy.

COMMITMENT TO CONFIDENTIALITY

Great Lakes Wellness and its authorized staff are committed to maintaining confidentiality and respecting client information. Your trust is important to us, and we strive to uphold the highest standards in data privacy and security.

CONTACT INFORMATION

For questions or concerns regarding this policy, please contact us.