Important Update: New Cryo-Billing Services at CReATe Fertility Centre

For doctors & NPs: Refer a patient

Purpose

To ensure that all services provided by the CReATe Fertility Centre (CFC) follow the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity in order to comply with the requirements of Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, Ontario Regulation 429/07 under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.

Scope

This policy applies to all CFC employees in patient contact areas, management, physicians, fellows, and students.

Policy

The CFC is committed to providing high quality, patient centred care, while eliminating barriers and improving accessibility for patients with disabilities and providing services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of patients with disabilities. Patients with disabilities will be given the same opportunity, where possible, to access and benefit from our services, in the same place and in a similar manner as other patients. It is the responsibility of every staff member to be attentive to the concerns of patients, their families and visitors and to resolve concerns related to accessibility.

Definitions

Disability – the term disability as defined by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and the Ontario Human Rights Code, refers to:

  1. any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device;
  2. a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability;
  3. a learning disability, or dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language;
  4. a mental disorder; or
  5. an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.

The definition includes disabilities of different severity, visible as well as non-visible, and disabilities the effect of which may come and go.

Personal Assistive Devices: These are personal supports used by persons with disabilities that enable them to carry out the activities of daily living. Personal assistive devices are typically devices that patients bring with them such as a wheelchair, walker or a personal oxygen tank that might assist in hearing, seeing, communicating, moving, breathing, remembering and/or reading.

Guide Dog: Is a highly-trained working dog that has been trained at one of the facilities listed in Ontario Regulation 58 under the Blind Persons’ Rights Act, to provide mobility, safety and increased independence for people who are blind.

Service Animal: As reflected in Ontario Regulation 429/07, an animal is a service animal for a person with a disability if:

  • it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to his or her disability; or
  • if the person provides a letter from a physician or nurse confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability.

Service Dog: As reflected in Health Protection and Promotion Act, Ontario Regulation 562 a dog other than a guide dog for the blind is a service dog if:

  • it is readily apparent to an average person that the dog functions as a service dog for a person with a medical disability;
  • or the person who requires the dog can provide on request a letter from a physician or nurse confirming that the person requires a service dog.

Support Person: As reflected in Ontario Regulation 429/07, a support person means, in relation to a person with a disability, another person who accompanies him or her in order to help with communication, mobility, personal care, medical needs or access to goods and services.

Our commitment

  • CFC will ensure that we identify and remove barriers to access for patients with disabilities by:
  • Encouraging patients with disabilities to use their own personal assistive devices to improve access to CFC’s services.
  • Communicating with patients who have a disability in manner that takes into account their disability.
  • Permitting patients with disabilities who use a support person to accompany them and ensuring that a patient with a disability has access to his or her support person while on our premises.
  • Allowing patients with disabilities to bring their guide dog or service animal with them to areas of the premises that are open to the public.
  • Providing notice when the facilities or services that patients with disabilities rely on to access our services are temporarily disrupted. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available. This notice will be placed at all public entrances and at the point of disruption. This notice will be provided in accessible formats as required.

Training

We will provide training to all employees who deal with patients and to all individuals who are involved in the development and approval of the patient service policies, practices and procedures. Training will be completed during the employee probation period.

Training will include:

  • A review of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), 2005 and the requirements of the Customer Service Standard, Ontario Regulation 429/07.
  • How to interact and communicate with patients with various types of disabilities. How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or support person.
  • How to use the equipment or assistive devices that are available on our premises or that we otherwise provide that may help with the provision of goods and services to people with disabilities. What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing our goods and services.
  • Training records will be kept, including the dates when the training is delivered the number of employees to whom the training was provided and their names.

Feedback process

CFC aims to provide high quality, patient centred care while serving patients with disabilities. Comments on our services regarding how well those expectations are being met are welcome and appreciated.

Feedback regarding the way the CFC provides services to people with disabilities can be made by sending an e-mail to the Clinic Manager at . All feedback will be directed to the Leadership & Partnership Committee and the Medical Director when necessary. We will make all reasonable efforts to address concerns or complaints immediately.

Availability of customer service documents

We shall, upon request, give a copy of this policy to any person. Requests for accessible customer service documents should be made to the Clinic Manager. If a patient with a disability requests a copy of this policy, we will provide the policy, or the information contained within the policy, in a format which takes into account the patient's disability.

References

  • Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005
  • Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, Ontario Regulation 429/07
  • Bill 46, Excellent Care for All Act, 2010
  • Blind Person’s Rights Act, 1990
  • Health Protection and Promotion Act, Ontario Regulation 562
  • Ontario Human Rights Code, 1990