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Informed Consent - Telehealth
Informed Consent - Telehealth

DO NOT USE THE PLATFORM OR PLATFORM SERVICES FOR MEDICAL EMERGENCIES.

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Written by Biscuit Health
Updated over 4 months ago

DISCLAIMER: DO NOT USE THE PLATFORM OR PLATFORM SERVICES FOR MEDICAL EMERGENCIES. IF YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY OR ATTEND THE EMERGENCY ROOM OF THE NEAREST HOSPITAL OR HEALTH CENTRE.

About Telehealth:

Telehealth involves the use of electronic communications to enable healthcare providers and patients at different locations to share individual patient medical information for the purpose of improving patient care. Telehealth services offered by Biscuit Health Inc. (as defined in our Terms of Use) may include patient consultation, diagnosis, therapy, treatment recommendations, remote prescribing, follow-up care and/or a referral to in-person care, as determined clinically appropriate.

The types of electronic transmissions and communications that may occur via our Platform include:

  • Non-clinical services such as appointment scheduling and patient education.

  • Completion, exchange, and review of medical intake forms and other clinically relevant information (i.e. health records, images, output data from medical devices, sound and video files, diagnostic and/or lab test results) between you and your Provider via:

    • asynchronous communications;

    • two-way interactive audio in combination with store-and-forward communications; and/or

    • two-way interactive audio and video interaction.

The electronic communication systems we use will incorporate network and software security protocols to protect the confidentiality of patient identification, and imaging data. Our systems will include measures to safeguard the data and ensure its integrity against intentional or unintentional corruption.

Biscuit Health practitioners and Care Coaches (each a "provider" and collectively, our "providers") are an addition to, and not a replacement for, your primary care physician or primary care naturopathic practitioner. Responsibility for your overall medical care should remain with your local primary care doctor, if you have one. Resources are available here if you do not currently have one.

Please carefully review the risks and benefits of Telehealth below prior to using our Platform:

Risks:

Benefits:

You and your provider won't be in the same room, so it may feel different than an office visit.

Improved access to care through the enablement of at-home care.

Technical problems may interrupt or stop your visit before you are done.

Improved patient experiences and efficiency of care evaluation/management through the enablement of at-home care.

Your provider may make a mistake because they cannot examine you as closely as at an office visit, or your provider may decide you still need an office visit.

Obtaining expertise of an allergy specialist, as appropriate.

If follow-up care is required or assistance is required in the event of an adverse reaction to your treatment, please contact us by clicking here or emailing oh@heybiscuit.ca.

NOTE: If you are experiencing an adverse reaction or any other medical emergency, Call 911 immediately or attend the emergency room of the nearest hospital or health centre BEFORE you contact Biscuit Health.

By clicking the button titled "Begin Medical Intake", "Get Started", or checking the related checkbox, you acknowledge that you understand and agree with the following:

  1. Biscuit Health and its providers offer telehealth-based naturopathic services, but these services do not replace the relationship between my primary care doctor and myself. I also understand it is up to the Biscuit Health Provider to determine whether or not my specific clinical needs are appropriate for a telehealth visit.

  2. The Biscuit Health Provider will take responsibility for my care only after the Provider accepts the duty of care. I understand that pre-requisites to this require that I have created an account, answered all the required health questions, provided a photo and/or have had a video chat and made a payment in addition to the Biscuit Health Provider subsequently reviewing my request for treatment and my responses to all the required health questions and any photos and/or information received from a video chat, and then subsequently determined that I am a good candidate for the telehealth services. I understand that the provider’s duty of care does not begin at the point of me answering questions, making payment or starting a video visit.

  3. Making a request for treatment (by completing a visit on our Platform and making payment, including providing photos and/or initiating a video chat) or sending a message through the Platform does not in and of itself create a duty of care or create a provider-patient relationship. Biscuit Health Providers reserve the right to deny care if, in the professional judgment of the Biscuit Health Provider, the provision of the telehealth services is not medically or ethically appropriate.

  4. Federal and Provincial law requires health care providers to protect the privacy and the security of health information. I am entitled to all confidentiality protections under applicable laws. I understand all medical reports resulting from the telehealth visit are part of my medical record.

  5. There is a risk of technical failures during the telehealth encounter beyond the control of Biscuit Health. I agree to hold harmless Biscuit Health and its Providers for delays in evaluation or for information lost due to such technical failures.

  6. I have the right to withhold or withdraw my consent to the use of telehealth in the course of my care at any time, without affecting my right to future care or treatment. I understand that I may suspend or terminate the use of the telehealth services at any time for any reason or for no reason.

  7. If I am experiencing a medical emergency, I will be directed to dial 911 immediately and that Biscuit Health Providers are not able to connect me directly to any local emergency services.

  8. Biscuit Health does not have any in-person clinic locations. I understand I may elect to seek services from a medical group with in-person clinics as an alternative to receiving a telehealth consultation. I understand that some parts of the services involving tests (e.g. labs or bloodwork) may be conducted by individuals at my location, or at a testing facility, under the direction of the Biscuit Health Provider.

  9. I may expect the anticipated benefits from the use of telehealth in my care, but no results can be guaranteed or assured.

  10. The Biscuit Health Provider will explain my diagnosis and its evidentiary basis, and the risks and benefits of various treatment options.

  11. My healthcare information may be shared with other individuals for scheduling, billing, or research purposes (see Informed Consent). Persons may be present during the consultation other than the Biscuit Health Provider in order to operate the telehealth technologies. I further understand that I will be informed of their presence in the consultation and thus will have the right to request the following: (1) omit specific details of my medical history/examination that are personally sensitive to me; (2) ask non-medical personnel to leave the telehealth examination; and/or (3) terminate the consultation at any time.

  12. I will not be prescribed any narcotics for pain, nor is there any guarantee that I will be given a prescription at all.

  13. If I participate in a telehealth consultation, I have the right to request a copy of my medical records, which will be provided to me at a reasonable cost of preparation, shipping and delivery. I can request to obtain or send a copy of my medical records to my primary care or other designated health care provider by contacting Biscuit Health by clicking here.

Emergency Situations:

Biscuit Health Providers DO NOT address medical emergencies via telehealth. IF YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY OR ATTEND THE EMERGENCY ROOM OF THE NEAREST HOSPITAL OR HEALTH CENTRE.

Indemnification:

YOU AGREE TO INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS BISCUIT HEALTH, ITS EMPLOYEES, ITS INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS/PRACTITIONERS, AGENTS, DIRECTORS, MEMBERS, MANAGERS, SHAREHOLDERS, OFFICERS, REPRESENTATIVES, ASSIGNS, PARENTS, PREDECESSORS, AND SUCCESSORS FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL LOSS OR DAMAGE, INCLUDING ANY AND ALL INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, EXPENSES, LIABILITIES, CLAIMS, OR DEMANDS WHATSOEVER ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO ANY FAILURE OF TECHNOLOGY OR EQUIPMENT IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROVISION OF TELEHEALTH, WHETHER OR NOT ANY SUCH LOSS, DAMAGE, EXPENSE, LIABILITY, CLAIM, OR DEMAND ARISES FROM OR RELATES TO THE GROUP'S NEGLIGENCE.

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