CUSTOMER SERVICE POLICY STATEMENT

Policy Statement

In fulfilling our mission, Manitouwadge General Hospital strives at all times to provide goods
and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities.
We are also committed to using reasonable efforts to give people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our goods and services and allow them to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way as other customers.

Providing goods and services to people with disabilities
Manitouwadge General Hospital is committed to excellence in serving all clients including people with disabilities and we will carry out our functions and responsibilities in the following areas:

Communication
We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.
We will train staff who communicate with customers on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.

Telephone services
We are committed to providing accessible telephone service to our customers. We will train staff to communicate with customers over the telephone in plain language and to speak clearly and slowly.

We will offer to communicate with customers by email or volume enhanced devices if telephone communication is not suitable to their communication needs or is not available.

Assistive devices
We are committed to serving people with disabilities who use assistive devices to obtain, use or benefit from our goods and services. We will ensure that applicable staff is trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our goods or services.

We will also ensure that staff knows how to use the following assistive devices
available on our premises for customers: wheelchairs, lifts and walkers.

Billing
We are committed to providing accessible invoices to all of our customers. For this reason, invoices will be provided in the following formats upon request: hard copy, large print, and e-mail.

We will answer any questions customers may have about the content of the invoice in
person, by telephone or email.

Web Site
We will provide our web information in a format permitting those who are visually or hearing impaired to select options to facilitate their use of the site.

Use of service animals and support persons
We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal in the areas of our premises that are open to the public and other third parties. We will also ensure that all staff, volunteers and others dealing with the public are properly trained in how to interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal.
We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person.  A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will generally be permitted access to his or her support person while on our premises.

Notice of temporary disruption
Manitouwadge General Hospital will provide customers with notice in the event of a planned or
unexpected disruption in the facilities or services usually used by people with disabilities. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available. The notice will be placed at all public entrances and service counters on our premises.

Training for staff
Manitouwadge General Hospital will provide training to all employees, volunteers and others
who deal with the public or other third parties on their behalf, and all those who are involved in the development and approvals of customer service policies, practices and procedures. Individuals in the following positions will be trained on the use of select assistive devices pertinent to their position:
Reception staff and Patient services providers

This training will be provided within six months after staff commences their duties.
Training will include the following:

• The purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the

requirements of the customer service standard

• How to interact and communicate with people 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 a support person
• How to use the walkers, wheelchairs, canes, assistive communications devices or otherwise that may help with the provision of goods or services to people with disabilities
• What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty accessing Manitouwadge General Hospital’s goods and services
• Manitouwadge General Hospital’s policies, practices and procedures relating to the customer service standard.

Applicable staff will be trained on policies, practices and procedures that affect the way goods and services are provided to people with disabilities. Staff will also be trained on an ongoing basis when changes are made to these policies, practices and procedures.

Feedback process
The ultimate goal of Manitouwadge General Hospital is to meet and surpass customer expectations while serving customers with disabilities. Comments on our services regarding how well those expectations are being met are welcome and appreciated.
Feedback regarding the way Manitouwadge General Hospital provides goods and services to people with disabilities can be made by e-mail, verbally, regular mail, suggestion box, or via our feedback surveys. All feedback will be directed to the Chair of the Operational Quality Assurance Committee.

Modifications to this or other policies
We are committed to developing customer service policies that respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Therefore, no changes will be made to this policy before considering the impact on people with disabilities. Any policy of Manitouwadge General Hospital that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.

Questions about this policy
This policy exists to achieve service excellence to customers with disabilities. If anyone
has a question about the policy, or if the purpose of a policy is not understood, an explanation should be provided by, or referred to, the Director responsible for Quality Assurance of
Manitouwadge General Hospital.

Definitions used in this policy and corresponding procedures:
“disability” means,

(a) 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,
(b) a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,
(c) a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,
(d) a mental disorder, or
(e) an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997;
 “guide dog” means a guide dog as defined in section 1 of the Blind Persons’ Rights Act;
 “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 or medical needs or with access to goods or services.

For the purposes of this policy, an animal is a “service animal” for a person with a disability,
  (a)  if it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to his or her disability; or
  (b)  if the person provides a letter from a physician or nurse confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability. 

“barrier” means anything that prevents a person with a disability from fully participating in all aspects of society because of his or her disability, including a physical barrier, an architectural barrier, an information or communications barrier, an attitudinal barrier, a technological barrier, a policy or a practice;

“assistive device” means a remedial appliance or equipment that a person with a disability relies upon to cope with a disability.  Examples of assistive are wheelchairs, walkers, canes, portable oxygen, hearing aids, braces, artificial limbs etc.  Members of the public will normally be encouraged to use their assistive devices whenever possible.

“volunteers” are individuals identified by the hospital to provide specific services

“contractors” are individuals hired by the hospital to provide a service which may interact with the public.

Procedures:

Feedback process:
The Manitouwadge General Hospital will provide a process to enable all employees, members of the professional staff, volunteers, stakeholders, contracted service staff and clients to communicate feedback to the Hospital on the service provided in compliance with Ontarians with Disabilities Act, (ODA) and the Accessibility of Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) regulations.

The Accessibility Committee will:

• Communicate information and Accessibility Plans to stakeholders as per hospital policy with the ODA and the AODA regulations.
• Provide a forum for an Accessibility Public Feedback Process using a variety of methods:
  • Personal contact, (letter, telephone call, email, conversation)
  • Survey
  • Any other means of communication not previously mentioned. 
• Consider suggestions and/or criticisms received on the provision of accessible customer services.

2.         Any staff member initially contact with concerns will:

• Accept information regarding the services provided;
• Forward the information to the Accessibility Committee via the Director responsible of Operational Quality Assurance Committee

3.         The Accessibility Committee, in consultation with the Hospital Administration will;

• Make recommendations based on the ODA and the AODA regulations.
• Administration will respond to the communication in writing as indicated.

Support Person Procedure:
A "Support Person" is an individual hired or chosen by a person with a disability to provide services or assistance with communication, mobility, personal care, medical needs or with access to goods or services.

• The Support Person could be a paid personal support worker, a volunteer, a friend or a family member. He or she does not necessarily need to have special training or qualifications.
• Personal care needs may include, but are no limited to, physically transferring an individual from one location to another or assisting an individual with eating or using the washroom.
• Medical needs may include, but are not limited to, monitoring an individual's health or providing medical support by being available in the event of a seizure.

• Persons with disabilities may be accompanied by his or her Support Person while in those areas of Manitouwadge General Hospital  that are open to the public or other third parties.
• The Support Person must agree to the rules and requirements that are specific to the kinds of services that the Hospital provides.
•  The Hospital may require the Support Person to sign a confidentiality agreement as per Hospital Privacy policies and practices.

Service Animal Procedure
"Service animals" are used by people with many different kinds of disabilities. Examples of service animals include dogs used by people who are hard of hearing as alert animals, and animals trained to alert an individual to an oncoming seizure and lead them to safety.  Other animals may help reduce anxiety for people with mental disorders.

• Persons with disabilities may be accompanied by his or her guide dog or other Service Animal while in those areas of the Manitouwadge General Hospital that are open to the public or other third parties unless the animal is otherwise excluded by law (i.e. food preparation areas) from the premises. Proof that the animal is in fact a Service Animal may be required. (i.e. letter from physician or nurse.).
• Health and safety requirements: There may be rare circumstances where, for reasons of health and safety of another person, allowing a person with a disability to enter the Hospital and be accompanied by their service animal needs to be considered. In the rare situation where another person's health and safety could be seriously impacted by the presence of a service animal on premises open to the public, the Hospital Unit Director will fully analyze all options for safely allowing the service animal. Some of the options to consider may be creating distance between two individuals, eliminating in-person contact, changing the time the two receive service, using air purifiers and any other measures that would allow the person to use their service animal on the premises.
• Laws restricting animal breeds: If the service animal is excluded by law, the Hospital shall ensure that other measures are available to enable the person with disability to obtain, use or benefit from the Hospital services.
• The person with the disability must provide all the necessary care and attention for the Service Animal.
• The Service Animal must be clean and in good health with proof of applicable immunization available upon request.