Privacy Policy

Dr. Melanie MacIver, ND (Melanie MacIver, sole proprietor)
Garibaldi Health Clinic, 41105 Tantalus Rd #106, Squamish, BC V8B 0N3
Effective 22-October-2026

Protecting your personal information is part of providing good care. This policy explains what personal information my practice collects, why, how it is used and protected, and your rights. It applies to my naturopathic practice, including this website, my online booking and my newsletter.

I operate my practice as a sole proprietor, independently within Garibaldi Health Clinic. Other practitioners at the clinic have their own practices and their own privacy policies.

Personal information in my practice is handled in accordance with British Columbia's Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) and the standards of the College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC (CCHPBC).

Who is responsible

I am the privacy officer for my practice. Questions, requests and concerns about your personal information can be sent to me at info@drmaciver.ca or 604-898-1999.

What I collect and why

When you become a patient, I collect the information needed to provide safe, effective care and to run my practice:

  • Contact and identity details: name, date of birth, address, phone number, email address and personal health number. These identify you and keep your records accurate, and allow me to contact you about appointments, request records from other providers with your consent, and issue receipts. Appointment reminders are sent through Jane by email and text message; let me know if you would prefer email only.
  • Health information: your health history, symptoms, medications, lab results, assessments, treatment plans and visit notes. These are needed to assess you, recommend treatment and monitor your progress.
  • Billing information: insurance details if you use direct billing, payment records and, only if you ask, a credit card kept on file for payment. Card numbers are held by Jane's payment processor; my office sees only the card type, last four digits and expiry date.

I collect only what is reasonably needed for these purposes. Most information comes directly from you, including through the online intake forms you complete in Jane before your first visit, which are stored securely in your Jane record. With your consent, I may also receive information from other health care providers, laboratories and pharmacies.

When you use this website, the site collects basic technical information such as pages visited, approximate location and device type, through cookies and Google Analytics. This helps me understand how the site is used. You can manage non-essential cookies through the cookie banner or your browser settings. The website does not collect health information.

My newsletter and emails share general health information, blog posts, event invitations and clinic news. I send them to people who sign up on my website, which gives me your express consent, and to patients based on our existing relationship, as Canada's anti-spam law (CASL) permits. When you sign up, I collect your name and email address. Every email includes an unsubscribe link, and you can opt out at any time. These emails are general information, not medical advice.

When you register for an event, I collect the details on the registration form to manage attendance.

How I use and share your information

I use your personal information only for the purposes it was collected for, or as required or permitted by law. I do not sell your information or share it for others' marketing.

Your information may be shared, only as needed, with:

  • Laboratories that process tests I order.
  • Pharmacies, including compounding pharmacies, when I issue a prescription.
  • Other health care providers, such as your family doctor or a specialist, when you ask or consent to it.
  • Your insurer, when you choose direct billing.
  • Fullscript, the online dispensary I use for supplements, when I set up an account or recommendation for you: your name, email address and the products I recommend.
  • Garibaldi Health Clinic reception and administrative staff, who handle bookings, calls and payments on my behalf using their own limited Jane login.
  • My practice administrator, who also keeps my books and uses a separate Jane login to run financial reports, manage inventory and maintain system settings.
  • Service providers that host my systems (listed below), under their own security and confidentiality obligations.
  • Others where the law requires or permits it, for example to the College in a regulatory matter, under a court order, or to prevent serious harm.

Where your information is kept

  • Patient records, bookings and billing are kept in Jane, a Canadian practice management system that stores Canadian customers' data in Canada with encryption in transit and at rest. Virtual appointments take place through Jane's built-in video, so no separate video service is used. Everyone with access to Jane has their own login, with access limited to what their role requires. I do not keep paper records.
  • Email with my practice uses Google Workspace. Google may store email outside Canada. Please do not send detailed health information by email unless we have agreed it is the best way to communicate.
  • Supplement recommendations and orders are handled by Fullscript, which operates in Canada and the United States and may store information outside Canada.
  • Email list details, for newsletter subscribers and patients who receive my emails, are kept in Cyberimpact, a Canadian email platform that stores contact data in Canada.
  • This website is hosted by Squarespace and uses Google Analytics, and event registrations use Google Forms. These services may store information outside Canada. Information stored outside Canada may be accessible to authorities in those countries under their laws.

Your consent

By booking an appointment and becoming a patient, you consent to the collection, use and sharing of your information as described here for your care and the running of my practice. I will ask for your express consent before sharing your health information for any other purpose and before requesting records from other providers. My emails to patients are described above, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

You can withdraw or change your consent at any time, subject to legal and professional requirements. For example, I must still keep your health record for the required period. If withdrawing consent would affect my ability to care for you, I will explain how.

Keeping your information secure

I protect your information with physical, technical and administrative safeguards, including password-protected and encrypted systems, and access limited to people who need it to do their work, each using their own login. If a privacy breach creates a real risk of significant harm to you, I will tell you as soon as reasonably possible and report it to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC where appropriate.

How long I keep your information

As the College requires, patient health records, appointment records and billing records are kept for at least 16 years from the date of the last entry, or from the age of majority, whichever is later. After that they are securely and permanently destroyed. Email list details are kept until you unsubscribe.

Your rights

  • Access: you can ask to see or receive a copy of your health record and other personal information I hold about you. I will respond within 30 business days. There is no charge for an electronic copy of your record. If you ask for printed copies of a large record, I may charge a reasonable fee for copying, which I will tell you in advance. In rare cases the law allows or requires me to withhold some information; if so, I will explain why.
  • Correction: if you believe information in your record is inaccurate or incomplete, you can ask me to correct it. If I do not make the change, I will tell you why.
  • Unsubscribe: every email from my mailing list has an unsubscribe link, or you can email info@drmaciver.ca.

To make a request, contact me at info@drmaciver.ca or 604-898-1999.

Questions and complaints

If you have a concern about how your information has been handled, please contact me first so I can try to resolve it. If you are not satisfied, you can contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia (oipc.bc.ca, 250-387-5629).

Links to other websites and social media

This website links to other sites, including Jane (for booking), Instagram and Google. When you leave this site, the other site's privacy policy applies. Anything you post publicly on social media, including comments on my posts, can be seen by others; please do not share personal health information there.

Changes to this policy

I may update this policy from time to time. The current version is always on this page, with its effective date.