Privacy Policy

PerceiveMD (“PerceiveMD”, “we”, “us” or “our”) is a virtual healthcare clinic based in Victoria, British Columbia. We are committed to protecting the privacy of our patients, the healthcare professionals we work with, and everyone who visits www.perceivemd.ca (the “Website”).

This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we use, share and protect it, and the rights you have. We handle personal information in accordance with British Columbia’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) and other applicable privacy laws.

Information we collect

Information you give us

• Contact form: your name, email address, phone number and your message.
• Newsletter sign-up: your email address.
• Allied Health Patient Contact Referral form: the referred patient’s name, phone number and (optionally) email address, and the referring professional’s name, profession or designation, and clinic or practice name.
• Medical Doctor Referral Form: the patient and referral details on the form, which a referring practitioner sends to us by fax.
• Booking and intake: when you book an appointment, you are taken to our third-party online booking platform. There you provide information such as your contact details, health card number, medical history and your answers to our pre-appointment questionnaires.
• Communications: information you share with us by email, phone or fax.
• Care: if you become a patient, the personal health information we need to assess and care for you, such as your medical history, medications, assessment notes, referrals, recommendations and records of your appointments.

Information collected automatically

• Analytics: we use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use the Website, for example which pages are visited, the type of device and browser used, approximate location and the site that referred you. Google Analytics uses cookies to do this.
• Server logs: our website host automatically records technical information, such as your IP address, browser type and the pages you request, to operate and secure the Website.
• Fonts: the Website loads its fonts from Google Fonts, so your browser shares your IP address with Google when you visit.

We do not use advertising cookies or tracking pixels, and we do not use the Website to sell advertising.

How we use your information

We use personal information to:

• respond to your questions and call-back requests;
• contact patients who have been referred to us, explain our services and, if they wish, arrange an assessment;
• book, confirm and manage appointments;
• assess, treat and support our patients, including coordinating care with their other healthcare providers;
• bill the BC Medical Services Plan (MSP) for insured services;
• send our newsletter, if you have subscribed;
• understand how the Website is used and improve it; and
• meet our legal, regulatory and professional obligations, such as keeping medical records.

We will not use your personal information for a new purpose without first asking for your consent, unless the law permits or requires us to.

Consent

By submitting a form on the Website, booking an appointment or becoming a patient, you consent to us collecting, using and disclosing your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy.

When a healthcare professional refers a patient to us, they confirm that the patient has agreed to share their contact details with us for this purpose. We contact the patient only to explain our services and next steps. The patient decides whether to go ahead.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting our Privacy Officer, subject to legal or contractual restrictions. Withdrawing consent may limit our ability to provide you with care or services, and we will explain how.

How we share your information

We do not sell, rent or trade personal information. We share it only:

• With service providers that help us run the clinic and the Website, such as our website host, analytics provider, online booking and medical records platform, and email and form-processing services. They may use the information only to provide services to us and must protect it.
• With other healthcare providers involved in your care, such as your family doctor or pharmacist, with your consent or as permitted by law.
• With a Licensed Producer of your choice, when you ask us to send them your medical document.
• With the BC Medical Services Plan (MSP), to bill for insured services.
• When required or permitted by law, for example to comply with a court order, to respond to a regulatory body such as the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia, or to prevent serious harm.

Where your information is stored

Some of our service providers store or process information outside Canada, including in the United States. For example, our website host and Google Analytics process Website data there. Information stored outside Canada is subject to the laws of that country and may be accessible to its courts, law enforcement and national security authorities.

How we protect your information

We use reasonable security safeguards that suit the sensitivity of the information, including encrypted (HTTPS) connections to the Website, access limited to the people who need it to do their jobs, and confidentiality obligations for our staff and service providers.

Email and ordinary web forms are not completely secure. Please do not send detailed health information by email or through the Website’s forms. If we need more information from you, our team will arrange a secure way to collect it.

How long we keep your information

We keep personal information only as long as we need it for the purposes described above, or as long as the law requires:

• Patient medical records: for the period required by law and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia.
• Enquiries and referrals for people who do not become patients: for as long as we need them to respond, and for a reasonable period afterwards.
• Newsletter subscriptions: until you unsubscribe.
• Analytics data: according to Google Analytics’ retention settings.

When we no longer need personal information, we securely destroy it or make it anonymous.

Your right to access and correct your information

You have the right to ask for a copy of the personal information we hold about you, how it has been used, and to whom it has been disclosed. You can also ask us to correct information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.

Please send your request in writing to our Privacy Officer (contact details below). We will respond within the time limits set by PIPA, generally 30 business days. We may charge a minimal fee for copies of records and will tell you the cost before we proceed. In limited cases the law allows or requires us to refuse access, and if so we will explain why.

Cookies and analytics choices

You can block or delete cookies through your browser settings, and you can opt out of Google Analytics with Google’s opt-out browser add-on. The Website works without cookies.

Links to other websites

The Website links to other websites, including our online booking platform, our Facebook page and research publications. Those websites have their own privacy policies, and we are not responsible for how they handle your information.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will post the new version on this page and change the “Last updated” date above.

Contact our Privacy Officer

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, or if you want to make a request or complaint, please contact:

Privacy Officer, PerceiveMD
603 Gorge Rd. East, Victoria, BC
Email: info@perceivemd.ca
Phone: 1-604-373-4800
Fax: 1-844-380-3980

If you are not satisfied with our response, you can contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia.