Short answer: Yes—PsychAssist provides PHIPA-aligned safeguards and supports cross-border use with US-based storage. You (as the health information custodian) remain responsible for your overall compliance.
PsychAssist delivers enterprise-grade security, comprehensive audit trails, consent management, and data protection features aligned with PHIPA obligations.
What this means: Canadian psychologists can use PsychAssist as part of a PHIPA-compliant practice. You must finalize compliance by updating clinic policies, patient consents (including cross-border), and vendor contracts.
We help: Our implementation team provides guidance and templates to align your privacy policies, consent forms, and data-processing terms with provincial requirements.
Data location: All data is stored in HIPAA-compliant US facilities. PHIPA permits cross-border transfers with appropriate safeguards. Some provinces (e.g., BC, Quebec, Nova Scotia—especially in public-sector contexts) impose additional restrictions. Explicit, informed patient consent for cross-border processing is recommended; our consent tools track this.
PHIPA focuses on protecting personal health information—not the physical location of servers. It allows cross-border transfers when custodians implement contractual, administrative, and technical safeguards. PsychAssist provides the technical and contractual scaffolding; you complete the loop with policies and consent.
Bottom line: Protect the data, document the safeguards, obtain explicit consent for cross-border processing, and keep auditability tight.
| Aspect | PHIPA (Ontario) | HIPAA (US) |
|---|---|---|
| Who it covers | Health information custodians (e.g., psychologists in Ontario) | Covered entities + business associates |
| Data residency | No general Canada-only rule; cross-border allowed with safeguards. Some provincial/public-sector laws add limits. | US storage common; no cross-border ban. |
| Consent | Express consent often required outside the “circle of care”; cross-border should be explicit and transparent. | Implied consent more common for treatment/payment/operations. |
| Breach notices | Notify individuals and, in defined cases, the regulator; timing is “as soon as feasible.” | Notify individuals without unreasonable delay (outer limit 60 days); HHS thresholds apply. |
| Enforcement | Provincial regulator; fines and orders vary by statute. | Federal and state enforcement; tiered civil/criminal penalties. |
PHIPA applies in Ontario; other provinces have distinct regimes (e.g., Alberta HIA; BC PIPA/FIPPA contexts; Quebec Law 25). Public-sector rules can be stricter on residency and impact assessments.
Document your safeguards, name key vendors upon request, obtain explicit, informed consent for US processing, and keep your privacy notice current.
Our consent system supports express, revocable consent with timestamps, purpose limitation, and transfer disclosures—traceable in audits.
This content is informational and not legal advice.
PsychAssist provides the safeguards necessary to support PHIPA compliance. Talk to us about your province and clinic setup.