Shared Solutions Privacy Policy
Shared Solutions respects your privacy and is strongly committed to protecting your personal information. This document explains how we use and safeguard your information. If you have any questions, or if you wish more explanation, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Why we ask you for personal information
In order for Shared Solutions to offer you the services you require, we need your personal information. We will only ask for personal information necessary to serve you and to research, develop and improve our services. Some of the services provided by Shared Solutions include:
- providing you with personalized services and meet your specific needs;
- determining the suitability of our services to your needs;
- determining your eligibility for our products and services;
- determining eligibility for reimbursement assistance;
- providing you with information about multiple sclerosis, and about our products and services.
What is personal information?
Personal information is any information that could identify you. It includes, but is not limited to, your name, address, phone number, gender, age. If you request reimbursement assistance, we may need your financial statements, income tax records, employment records and your social insurance number.
When we ask for your personal information, we will make sure we obtain your consent, which is an informed permission you give us to store your information in our databases and to use it for the purposes we will inform you about.
Access and use of information
The personal information you provide us will be accessed only by Shared Solutions and its affiliated staff. By agreeing to the terms of this document, you are giving your consent for us to share relevant information from your file with third parties who assist us in providing services to you (i.e. only the information required for the execution of the service being required from the third party). Such third parties include:
- our healthcare providers for home-based injection training;
- our service providers for therapy coverage;
- our mailing house (responsible for sending printed information and publications).
We might also share information with external firms which would be engaged by us to conduct pharmaceutical market research on our behalf (i.e. they would contact you for the sole purpose of gathering market research information).
Furthermore, your information might also be shared with others if they are explicitly authorized by law or as required by law.
Any data which we might have shared with such third parties will only be kept by them for as long as it is reasonably needed for the intended purpose of the services they are providing, after which the data in their possession will be destroyed.
At no time and under no circumstances, would your information be sold to any third party for any reason. The data contained in your file will only be kept for as long as it is reasonably needed, and it will only be used for the purpose stated in your file. Once the purpose has been achieved, your file will be deleted unless you require further services.
You may choose to withhold some or all personal information at any time. However, please understand that your decision may prevent us from providing you with services and information that you requested.
Protection
Your information will be stored at the Shared Solutions office in Montreal, Quebec, in both electronic and paper format. It is protected by various security measures such as magnetic locks, data encryption and a system of individual username and password for every member of the staff. In addition, a confidential disclosure agreement, signed by every staff member, further ensures increased protection of your privacy.
Requests
Unless otherwise specified in advance, all requests will be processed free of charge. We will be able to process the majority of the requests via telephone or e-mail (change of address, request to be removed from our mailing list, etc.). The only requests which need to be submitted to us in writing (signed letter) are the following :
- Request to modify your name
- Request to delete your file
- Request to obtain a copy of your file
- Request/authorization for Shared Solutions to share information with a person other than yourself (see next section: Contact on behalf of another person)
If our Privacy Officer has reasons to deny a request to access your information, we will provide a written response, including the reasons for denying your request. You may submit an application for examination of a disagreement to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. This application must be submitted in writing and is not free of charge. For more information on the application process, visit the Privacy Commission’s website at http://www.privcom.gc.ca.
Contact on behalf of another person
Shared Solutions must deal directly and exclusively with the concerned individual. Therefore, unless you provide us with a duly signed written authorization to discuss or release information about your situation with a member of your family or a designated caregiver or anyone else, Shared Solutions staff will refuse any request for information and/or will not engage in any conversation with anyone who contacts us on your behalf.
Furthermore, if you wish for a family member or a friend or anybody else who is affected by multiple sclerosis to receive services or information from us, our Policy requires that you provide him/her our phone number and ask him/her to contact us directly, as you cannot contact Shared Solutions on behalf of another person.
Keeping your information accurate
We are committed to keeping your personal information accurate as long as we need it for the purposes previously described. You play an important role in helping us achieve this goal. You may update your information by contacting us either by phone or by e-mail. Your prompt notification of any contact information changes will assist us in providing you the requested services.
Changes to the privacy policy
Shared Solutions reserves the right to change, modify or amend this policy at any time. However, when a significant change has been made, you will be contacted within a reasonable time either by phone, mail or e-mail.
Shared Solutions Privacy Officer
1080 Beaver Hall Hill, Suite 1200
Montreal, Quebec H2Z 1S8
August 8, 2011