Privacy Policy

STAR Cancer Care respects your privacy and is committed to protecting personal information shared with us through this website, by email, by telephone, through contact or booking forms, and during the course of providing clinical services.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, store, and protect personal information. It also explains how patients and website users may contact us with privacy questions or requests.

This policy is intended to reflect our obligations under applicable privacy laws, including Canadian private-sector privacy laws and Ontario health privacy requirements where applicable.

Information We Collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect the following types of information:

• Contact information, such as your name, email address, phone number, and preferred method of contact.
• Appointment or inquiry information, such as the reason for your inquiry, requested service, referral information, or information you choose to submit through a form.
• Personal health information, where required for clinical assessment, consultation, diagnosis, treatment planning, care coordination, billing, or follow-up.
• Website usage information, such as browser type, device information, pages visited, approximate location derived from technical data, and how users interact with the website.
• Communication records, such as emails, form submissions, telephone notes, and other records of communications with us.

We ask that you avoid submitting highly sensitive medical details through general website forms unless specifically requested. For urgent medical concerns, call 911 or contact an appropriate emergency medical service.

How We Use Information

We may use personal information for the following purposes:

• to respond to inquiries and requests;
• to schedule, confirm, or manage appointments and consultations;
• to assess whether our services may be appropriate for a patient;
• to provide clinical services, treatment planning, follow-up, and care coordination;
• to maintain accurate patient and administrative records;
• to process payments, invoices, or administrative requirements;
• to operate, secure, and improve our website and services;
• to comply with legal, regulatory, professional, insurance, and reporting obligations; and
• for other purposes permitted or required by law.

Personal Health Information

If you become a patient of STAR Cancer Care, we may collect, use, and disclose personal health information as reasonably necessary to provide care, support diagnosis and treatment planning, communicate with you and your health care providers, maintain patient records, and meet legal and professional obligations.

Personal health information may include information about your health history, symptoms, diagnosis, test results, imaging, biopsy results, treatment options, medications, referrals, physician notes, billing information related to health care, and other information connected to the provision of care.

We limit the collection, use, and disclosure of personal health information to what is reasonably necessary for the purpose, unless otherwise permitted or required by law.

Consent

We collect, use, and disclose personal information with your consent, except where the law permits or requires us to do so without consent. Consent may be express or implied depending on the circumstances and the sensitivity of the information.

By contacting us, using our website, submitting a form, booking an appointment, or receiving services from us, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your information as described in this policy and as otherwise explained to you at the time of collection.

You may withdraw consent in certain circumstances, subject to legal, contractual, professional, or practical limitations. Withdrawing consent may affect our ability to provide services.

How We Share Information

We do not sell personal information. We may share personal information only where appropriate, including:

• with physicians, nurses, anesthesiologists, technologists, administrative staff, and other members of the care team involved in your care;
• with referring physicians, family physicians, specialists, hospitals, laboratories, imaging providers, pharmacies, or other health care providers involved in your care;
• with service providers that support website hosting, booking, secure communications, records management, payment processing, analytics, or clinic operations;
• with regulatory bodies, insurers, legal advisors, or professional advisors where required or appropriate;
• where required or permitted by law, court order, subpoena, regulation, or professional obligation; and
• with your consent or at your direction.

Service providers are expected to protect personal information and use it only for the purpose of providing services to us.

Cookies & Website Analytics

Our website may use cookies, analytics tools, pixels, or similar technologies to operate the website, understand how visitors use the site, improve performance, and support website security. These tools may collect technical information such as IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, and referring pages.

You can adjust your browser settings to block or delete cookies. Some website features may not work properly if cookies are disabled.

Safeguards & Retention

We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, use, disclosure, loss, theft, or modification. These safeguards may include access controls, staff confidentiality obligations, secure systems, password protection, and restricted access to records.

We retain personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy, to provide care, to maintain accurate records, and to meet legal, regulatory, professional, or operational requirements.

No website, email system, or electronic communication method is completely secure. Please use caution when sending sensitive information electronically.

Accessing or Correcting Your Information

You may request access to your personal information or ask that inaccurate or incomplete information be corrected, subject to legal and professional limits. We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request.

If we cannot provide access or make a correction, we will explain the reason where required or appropriate.

Storage and Service Providers

Some website, hosting, analytics, communication, booking, or administrative service providers may process or store information outside Ontario or outside Canada. When information is handled outside Canada, it may be subject to the laws of that jurisdiction.

We take reasonable steps to ensure service providers protect personal information in a manner consistent with applicable privacy obligations.

Children and Minors

Our services and website are intended for adults seeking information about prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment. We do not knowingly use the website to collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has submitted personal information through the website, please contact us.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised effective date or last updated date.