Updated: May 2026
Vernon Midwifery is committed to protecting your privacy. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, store, and protect personal information, including personal health information.
Vernon Midwifery operates in British Columbia. We handle personal information in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) of British Columbia and applicable professional requirements for registered midwives.
Collection of personal information
We collect personal information that we need to provide safe, appropriate, and coordinated midwifery care.
This may include:
- Your full name
- Your date of birth
- Your address
- Your phone number
- Your email address
- Your personal health number or MSP information
- Your medical history
- Your pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and newborn health information
- Your emergency contact information
- Your referral information
- Your billing information
- Information you choose to share with us
We usually collect this information directly from you. This may happen through intake forms, phone calls, emails, website forms, in-person appointments, virtual appointments, or other communications with our clinic.
In some cases, we may collect information from another health care provider, hospital, laboratory, health authority, or other person involved in your care, where permitted by law or with your consent.
Use of personal information
We use your personal information for purposes related to your care and our clinic operations.
This may include:
- Providing midwifery care
- Communicating with you about appointments, care plans, results, referrals, and follow-up
- Coordinating care with other health care providers
- Making referrals to hospitals, physicians, nurses, lactation consultants, diagnostic services, or other health providers
- Maintaining clinical records
- Billing MSP or another payer
- Meeting legal, regulatory, and professional obligations
- Managing safety, quality, and continuity of care
- Responding to privacy, access, correction, or complaint requests
We do not use your personal health information for marketing without your express consent.
Consent
We collect, use, and disclose your personal information with your consent, except where the law allows or requires us to do so without consent.
Consent may be written, verbal, electronic, or implied by the circumstances. For example, when you provide health information during care, we may use that information to provide care and coordinate care with other providers involved in your care.
You may withdraw consent for some uses or disclosures. Please contact us in writing if you wish to withdraw consent. In some cases, we may not be able to provide care or continue certain services without the information needed for safe care, legal compliance, billing, or clinical recordkeeping.
Disclosure of personal information
We do not sell your personal information.
We do not share your personal information unless we have your consent or the law allows or requires us to do so.
We may disclose personal information to:
- Health care providers involved in your care
- Hospitals, laboratories, diagnostic services, pharmacies, and health authorities
- MSP or other payers for billing purposes
- Regulatory bodies, where required
- Insurers, legal advisors, or professional advisors, where needed
- Service providers that help us operate the clinic, website, email, forms, hosting, security, billing, records, or administration
- Other parties where disclosure is required or authorized by law
When we disclose personal information, we disclose only what is needed for the purpose.
Website forms and email
Please do not send sensitive medical details through the website contact form or regular email unless you understand and accept the risk.
Website forms and email may not be fully secure. If you use these methods, we may use the information you send to respond to your message, process your intake request, or communicate with you about care.
If you need urgent medical help, do not use the website contact form or email. Call 911 or contact the appropriate urgent care service.
Website data and cookies
When you visit our website, some technical information may be collected automatically. This may include:
- Your IP address
- Browser type
- Device type
- Pages visited
- Date and time of visit
- General website usage information
We may use this information to operate the website, improve security, prevent spam or abuse, troubleshoot technical issues, and understand website performance.
Our website may use cookies or similar tools. You can adjust your browser settings to block or delete cookies. Some website features may not work as intended if cookies are disabled.
Service providers and cross-border processing
Vernon Midwifery uses third-party service providers to operate the website, intake forms, email, security, and related systems.
Some personal information may be processed, routed, stored, or accessed outside Canada.
Current service providers may include:
- Pressable for website hosting, with United States data centers
- Jetpack for website forms or related website services, which may route information through United States systems
- Cloudflare for website security and content delivery, with global network infrastructure
- Titan for email hosting, which may involve United States systems
Information processed outside Canada may be subject to the laws of that jurisdiction.
We take reasonable steps to use service providers that protect personal information. We also limit personal information collected through the website where possible.
Storage and safeguards
We protect personal information using physical, technical, and administrative safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information.
These may include:
- Access limits
- Password protection
- Secure systems
- Staff confidentiality expectations
- Clinic recordkeeping procedures
- Website security tools
- Secure disposal practices
Only authorized people may access personal information where access is needed for care, clinic operations, legal compliance, or professional obligations.
Retention of records
We keep clinical records as required by law and professional standards.
Midwifery medical records must be kept for at least 16 years from the date of the last entry, or from the client reaching age 19 in British Columbia, whichever is later.
After the required retention period, records are destroyed securely. Paper records may be destroyed by secure shredding or controlled incineration. Electronic records must be erased so that all traces of the original data are destroyed.
Access and correction
You have the right to request access to your personal information, subject to legal limits.
You also have the right to request correction of personal information that you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.
Please make access or correction requests in writing. We may need to confirm your identity before responding.
We will respond as required by law.
Questions and complaints
You may contact our privacy officer if you have questions, concerns, or complaints about how we handle personal information.
Privacy officer
Ashley Reid, RM
Vernon Midwifery
3117 32nd Street, Suite 202
Vernon, BC V1T 5M6
Email: ashleyreidrm@protonmail.com
If we cannot resolve your concern, you may contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia.