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Effective date: January 1, 2027
 

Solace Massage Therapy is committed to protecting your privacy and maintaining the confidentiality of your personal and personal health information. Information is collected, used, stored and disclosed in accordance with Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA), applicable privacy legislation and the standards of the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario (CMTO).
 

Accountability
 

Solace Massage Therapy is responsible for the personal information and personal health information within its custody or control. Questions, access requests or privacy concerns may be directed to the clinic via mail or email. 
 

Information We Collect
 

Solace only collects information reasonably necessary to provide safe and effective massage therapy, operate the clinic and meet professional and legal responsibilities. This may include your name, address, date of birth, contact information, emergency contact, health history, medications, allergies, reason for seeking care and information relevant to massage therapy treatment. Clinical records may include assessment findings, treatment plans, consent discussions, treatment notes, referrals, communications and other information related to your care.

Administrative information may include appointment history, billing records, insurance information when applicable, payment status and copies of receipts.

Payment-card information may be processed by a third-party payment provider and is not necessarily stored directly by Solace. When you visit the Solace website, limited technical information may also be collected, such as your IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited and cookie preferences. 
 

How Your Information Is Used
 

Your information may be used to:
 

• Identify and communicate with you

• Schedule, confirm and manage appointments

• Assess your needs and provide safe massage therapy treatment

• Develop, document and update your treatment plan

• Process payments and issue accurate receipts

• Communicate with other healthcare professionals when authorized or permitted by law

• Maintain required clinical, financial and business records

• Respond to questions, requests or concerns

• Improve clinic operations, website performance and client experience

• Meet legal, regulatory, insurance and professional obligations

 

Personal health information will not be used for advertising or unrelated purposes without your consent.
 

 

Consent
 

Your knowledge and consent are required for the collection, use or disclosure of your information except where otherwise permitted or required by law.

Consent may be implied when information is provided for the purpose of arranging or receiving healthcare. Express consent will be obtained when required, including before disclosing information outside your circle of care unless the disclosure is otherwise authorized by law.
 

You may ask questions, limit or withdraw your consent at any time, subject to legal, regulatory and record-keeping requirements. Withdrawing consent may affect Solace’s ability to provide certain services safely.
 

Consent to receive appointment-related communication does not automatically constitute consent to receive promotional email. You may unsubscribe from promotional communications at any time.
 

Sharing and Disclosure
 

Solace does not sell or rent personal or personal health information. Information will only be shared as reasonably necessary to provide care, administer the practice or meet legal and professional obligations. This may include disclosure:
 

• To a healthcare professional involved in your care, with consent or as otherwise permitted by law

• To an insurer or another third party with your authorization

• To technology, booking, payment, accounting or professional service providers assisting with clinic operations

• When required by a court order, legislation, professional regulator or other lawful authority

• When necessary to reduce or eliminate a significant risk of serious bodily harm

• In another circumstance permitted or required by law
   

Service providers are given access only to the information reasonably necessary to perform their role and are expected to protect it appropriately.
 

Electronic Booking and Communication
 

Solace may use third-party providers for online booking, electronic records, appointment reminders, payments, email and website hosting. These providers maintain their own privacy and security practices, and information may be processed or stored in jurisdictions outside Ontario.

Email and text messaging offer convenience but cannot be guaranteed to be completely secure. Please avoid sending detailed or highly sensitive health information through ordinary email, social media or website contact forms. Health information should be submitted through the clinic’s designated secure system or discussed directly with your therapist. Any third-party website or social-media page linked from the Solace website is governed by that provider’s own privacy practices.
 

Safeguarding Your Information
 

Reasonable administrative, physical and electronic safeguards are used to protect information from loss, theft, unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, modification or disposal. These safeguards may include password-protected systems, access controls, secure record-management software, appropriate device security, confidential communication practices, secure physical storage and the careful destruction of records once the required retention period has passed. Access is limited to individuals who require the information to perform an authorized role.
 

Record Retention
 

Massage therapy health records are retained for at least 10 years following the client’s last visit. If a client was under 18 at the time of the last visit, the record is retained for at least 10 years after the date the client turned 18.
 

Financial and other business records are retained according to applicable legal, tax and professional requirements. Once the required retention period has passed, records are securely destroyed or permanently deleted in a way that protects confidentiality.

Accessing or Correcting Your Record
 

You may request access to your personal health record or ask that inaccurate or incomplete information be corrected. Requests should be submitted to the Privacy Contact listed above. Solace will respond within the timelines required by law. Access may be restricted in limited circumstances permitted by PHIPA, and a reasonable fee may apply when copies or extensive record preparation are requested. You will be informed of any applicable fee in advance.

Privacy Breaches
 

If personal health information is lost, stolen, accessed, used or disclosed without authorization, Solace will take reasonable steps to contain and investigate the incident. Affected individuals will be notified at the first reasonable opportunity when required. The incident will also be reported to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario or another authority when legally required.
 

Questions and Complaints
 

Questions, concerns and complaints should first be directed to the Solace Privacy Contact. Every concern will be taken seriously and reviewed as promptly as reasonably possible. Raising a privacy concern will not negatively affect your care.
 

If your concern is not resolved, you may contact the:

Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
www.ipc.on.ca
 

Changes to This Policy

This policy may be updated as clinic practices, technology or legal requirements change. The current version will remain available on the Solace Massage Therapy website with its effective date.