Privacy Policy

Effective date: October 8, 2026

Achilles Foot Clinic (“we”, “us”, “our”) protects the privacy of our patients and website visitors. Our podiatrists are custodians under Alberta’s Health Information Act (HIA). Your health information is collected, used, disclosed and protected under the HIA. Other personal information, such as information from website visitors who are not patients, is handled under Alberta’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).

This policy applies to our clinic at 6707 Elbow Dr SW, #203, Calgary, Alberta and to www.achillesfootclinic.com.

1. Information we collect

From patients:

Contact and registration details: name, date of birth, address, phone number, email address, emergency contact
Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan number and private insurance or benefits details
Health information: medical and surgical history, medications, allergies, symptoms, examination findings, diagnoses, treatment plans, imaging, test results, gait and biomechanical assessments, orthotic prescriptions, photographs of the foot or ankle, and records from other health providers
Billing and payment information
Vehicle licence plate number, collected at check-in for building parking registration

From website visitors:

Information you submit through our appointment request or contact forms: name, email, phone number, preferred doctor, preferred date and time, and a short description of the reason for your visit
Technical data collected automatically: IP address, browser type, device type, pages viewed, referring website and time on site (see Section 7)

Please do not send detailed medical information through website forms or regular email. Call us at (403) 777-0085 instead.

2. Why we collect it

We collect, use and disclose only the information we need, for these purposes:

To assess, diagnose and treat your foot and ankle conditions
To schedule appointments and send reminders
To communicate with you about your care
To bill Alberta Health, your insurer, or you, and to process payments
To coordinate care with your family physician and other health providers involved in your care
To meet our legal, professional and regulatory duties, including the standards of the College of Podiatric Physicians of Alberta
To improve the quality and safety of our services
To operate, secure and improve our website

We collect health information under the authority of the HIA, including sections 20 and 22. If you have questions about a collection, contact our Privacy Officer (Section 10).

By attending the clinic and receiving care, you consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your health information for the purposes above, as permitted by the HIA. We will ask for your express consent before disclosing your information for any other purpose, unless the law allows or requires disclosure without consent.

You may withdraw or limit consent at any time, subject to legal and professional limits. Withdrawing consent may affect our ability to provide care or bill your insurer. We will explain the effect before you decide.

For patients under 18, a parent or legal guardian generally provides consent. Minors who understand the nature and consequences of their care may make their own decisions as allowed by law.

We do not sell, rent or trade personal or health information. We share it only:

With other health providers involved in your care, such as your family physician, a specialist or a diagnostic imaging clinic
With Alberta Health and with private insurers or benefit plans to process your claims, with your consent where required
With our service providers, such as electronic medical record, scheduling, billing, IT and orthotic lab providers, under written agreements that require them to protect your information
With the College of Podiatric Physicians of Alberta, if required for regulatory purposes
When required or permitted by law, such as a court order, subpoena, or to prevent a serious risk of harm
With anyone you authorize in writing

5. How we protect your information

Paper records are kept in locked, access-controlled areas
Electronic records are password protected, access-logged and encrypted where possible
Staff access only the information they need for their role
All staff and contractors sign confidentiality agreements and receive privacy training
Health records are stored in Canada

If a privacy breach creates a risk of harm to you, we will notify you, the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta and the Minister of Health, as the HIA requires.

6. How long we keep it

We keep patient records for the period required by the College of Podiatric Physicians of Alberta and applicable law. For minors, records are kept for a longer period after the patient reaches the age of majority. When records are no longer needed, we destroy them securely by shredding or permanent electronic deletion.

Website form submissions are kept only as long as needed to respond to your request.

7. Cookies and analytics

Our website uses cookies and similar tools to make the site work and to understand how visitors use it. We use Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager. These tools collect technical data such as pages viewed and device type. They do not identify you by name.

These providers may process data outside Canada, including in the United States, where it may be subject to local laws. You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings, or opt out of Google Analytics at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. Some site features may not work if cookies are disabled.

Our site may include embedded content such as Google Maps or videos, and links to our Facebook and X (Twitter) pages. Those third parties have their own privacy policies.

8. Email, text and online communication

With your consent, we may contact you by phone, text or email for appointment reminders and follow-up. Email and text messages are not fully secure. We limit the health information we include in them. You can ask us at any time to stop using a particular method.

We will send newsletters or promotional messages only with your consent, as required by Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL). You can unsubscribe at any time.

9. Your rights

You have the right to:

Request access to your health and personal information
Request a copy of your records
Request a correction if you believe your information is inaccurate or incomplete
Know how your information has been used and to whom it was disclosed

Submit requests in writing to our Privacy Officer. We will respond within 30 days, or tell you if we need more time as the law allows. A reasonable fee may apply for copies, as permitted by the HIA. In limited cases, the law allows us to refuse access. If so, we will explain why in writing.

10. Questions and complaints

Contact our Privacy Officer:

Privacy Officer, Achilles Foot Clinic
6707 Elbow Dr SW, #203 (Mayfair Place)
Calgary, Alberta T2V 0E4
Phone: (403) 777-0085
Fax: (403) 777-0088
Email: northoffice@achillesfootclinic.com

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta at 1-888-878-4044.

11. Changes to this policy

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