AODA Policy

1. CORPORATE INFORMATION:

Toronto Vascular Ultrasound Inc., o/a Midland Ellesmere X-ray & Ultrasound and Lawrence and Midland Radiology Centre

2. PURPOSE: PROVIDING GOODS, SERVICES OR FACILITIES TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES:

• Toronto Vascular Ultrasound Inc. is committed to meeting its current and ongoing obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code respecting non-discrimination.
• Toronto Vascular Ultrasound Inc. understands its obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and its accessibility standards (e.g., Integrated Accessibility Standards (IASR)) do not substitute or limit its obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code or obligations to people with disabilities under any other law. Toronto Vascular Ultrasound Inc. has developed and continues to develop, maintain, and implement applicable accessibility standards. This is accomplished through a yearly review of the policy, current standards, and an ongoing relationship with a third party consulting agency that handles HR, safety, and accessibility issues.
• Toronto Vascular Ultrasound Inc. is committed to complying with both the Ontario Human Rights Code and the AODA.
• Toronto Vascular Ultrasound Inc. is committed to excellence in serving all customers, including people with disabilities.
• Our accessible customer service policies are consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration, and equality of opportunity for people with disabilities.

3. SCOPE:

This policy applies to all staff personnel (employees, volunteers, and other third parties).

4. POLICY:

4.1.1 Assistive devices:

People with disabilities may use their assistive devices when accessing our goods, services, or facilities.

In cases where the assistive device presents a significant and unavoidable health or safety concern or may not be permitted for other reasons, other measures will be used to ensure the person with a disability can access our goods, services, or facilities.

We will ensure that our staff are trained and familiar with various assistive devices we have on-site or that we provide that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our goods, services, or facilities.

4.1.2 Communication:

We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.

We will consult and work with the person with a disability and/or their designated caregiver to determine what method of communication works for them.

Generally, alternatives to standard print can be made available in the form of screen-reader-compatible MS Word files or by printing with a large font.

Communication support will include providing text transcripts of verbal instruction, reading written information out loud, repeating/clarifying/restating information, and exchanging handwritten notes.

If the need arises to communicate information (apart from product labels or information we do not directly or indirectly control), and the information is found to be “unconvertible” to a format appropriate to the disabled patient, then

a) An explanation will be provided to the patient explaining the convertibility issue, and
b) A summary of the unconvertible information will be provided

We will provide or arrange the provision of accessible formats and communications support in a timely fashion and at no cost to the patient.

4.1.3 Service Animals:

We welcome people with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals are allowed on the parts of our premises that are open to the public.

When we cannot easily identify that an animal is a service animal, our staff may ask a person to provide documentation (template, letter, or form) from a regulated health professional that confirms the person needs the service animal for reasons relating to their disability.

A service animal can be easily identified through visual indicators, such as when it wears a harness or a vest, or when it helps the person perform certain tasks.

A regulated health professional is defined as a member of one of the following colleges:

• College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario
• College of Chiropractors of Ontario
• College of Nurses of Ontario
• College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario
• College of Optometrists of Ontario
• College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
• College of Physiotherapists of Ontario
• College of Psychologists of Ontario
• College of Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Mental Health Therapists
  of Ontario

If a different law forbids service animals, we will take the following steps to ensure people with
disabilities can access our goods, services, or facilities:

• Explain why the animal is excluded.
• Discuss with the customer another way of providing goods, services, or facilities

4.1.4 Support Persons:

A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them on our premises.

In certain cases, Toronto Vascular Ultrasound Inc. might require a person with a disability to be accompanied by a support person for health or safety reasons:

• The person with a disability
• others on the premises

Before making a decision, Toronto Vascular Ultrasound Inc will:
Consult with the person with a disability to understand their needs

• Consider health or safety reasons based on available evidence
• Determine if there is no other reasonable way to protect the health or safety of the person or others on the premises

 

4.1.5 Notice of temporary disruption:

In the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities for customers with disabilities, Toronto Vascular Ultrasound Inc. will notify customers promptly. This posted notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated length of time, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.
Services/Facilities include:

• X-ray, ultrasound, mammography, and bone mineral density at 2025 Midland Ave., Suite 200 location.
• The notice will be made publicly available in the following ways:
• Memo posted at the front desk in English and other languages appropriate to the setting.
• Updating Google business site as appropriate
• Updating Google business site as appropriate

Update the corporate website as appropriate.

4.1.6 Training:

Toronto Vascular Ultrasound Inc. will provide accessible customer service training to:

• all employees and volunteers
• anyone involved in developing our policies
• anyone who provides goods, services, or facilities to customers on our behalf (eg independent contractors).

Staff will be trained on accessible customer service within 3 months after being hired. Training will include:

• Human Rights Code familiarity
• Integrated Accessibility Standards accessibility  purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard
• Toronto Vascular Ultrasound Inc policies related to service standards
• 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 equipment or devices available on-site or otherwise that may help with providing goods, services or facilities to people with disabilities. These include:
• x-ray tables
• wheelchairs
• what to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing Toronto Vascular Ultrasounds.’s goods, services or facilities

Specific training for different staff (eg admin vs technologists) is not required, as patient disability issues manifest throughout the entire diagnostic imaging workflow in very similar ways.

Staff will also be trained when changes are made to our accessible customer service

Key Training resources:
http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/learning/working-together-code-and-aoda
www.accessforward.ca

4.1.7 Feedback Process:

Toronto Vascular Ultrasound Inc. welcomes feedback on how we provide accessible customer service. Customer feedback will help us identify barriers and respond to concerns.
Customers will be notified of how to provide feedback in the following ways:

• Onsite feedback forms, available from technologists
• E-mail
• Mail

All feedback, including complaints, will be handled in the following manner:

• Feedback will be directed to the Operations Manager or Front Desk Supervisor

Customers can expect to hear back in 14 days or less.
Toronto Vascular Ultrasound. will make sure our feedback process is accessible to people with disabilities by providing or arranging for accessible formats and communication supports, on request. A Public Notice is at each front desk concerning accessible feedback.

4.1.8 Notice of availability of documents:

Toronto Vascular Ultrasound will notify the public that documents related to accessible customer service, such as Accessibility Compliace Reports, are available upon request by posting a notice in the following location(s) or way(s):

• At front desk

4.1.9 Modifications to this or other policies:

Any policies of Toronto Vascular Ultrasound Inc. that do not respect and promote the principles of dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity for people with disabilities will be modified or removed.

5. POLICIES CONCERNING ACCESSIBLE EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES:

Toronto Vascular Ultrasound Inc. has less than 50 employees and as such requires the following policies:

1.1 Hiring:

Employment postings shall be posted digitally and as such are screen-reader/large type compatible. All postings shall include a note indicating that the needs of applicants with disabilities will be accommodated in the hiring process.

1.2 Communication of Accessibility Policies

At the time of hire and any time policies change, all employees are briefed on policies to support people with disabilities. Communication takes place via any of the following mechanisms: email, staff meetings, memos, lunchroom bulletin boards, on one chats.

1.3 Accessible Workplace Information:

Any information required by staff to perform their job will be provided in an accessible format upon request, including but not limited to large-type forms, screen readers, large-type Policy & Procedure manuals, memos, and bulletins.

1.4 Providing Individualized Workplace Emergency Response Information:

Individualized emergency protocol support will be provided to any employee who may need
help in an emergency due to a temporary or permanent disability.

With employee consent, these individualized plans will be made available to other employees
with responsibility for emergency evacuation.

These individualized plans will be reviewed and modified if necessary when the employee changes work location, when the individual’s accommodation needs are reevaluated, and when the organization reviews its general emergency response policies.

Individualized plans will be developed with the assistance of the form available here:

https://forms.mgcs.gov.on.ca/en/dataset/on00032

1.5 Managing Performance, Career Development and Re-Deployment:

Performance management occurs during formal and informal performance reviews. Due to the
nature of our industry, promotions or new jobs are not an issue. We commit to accommodating the needs of employees with disabilities when performance management meetings occur.

5.6 Policy on Design of Public Spaces:

About all newly constructed service counters and fixed queuing guides and all newly constructed or redeveloped waiting areas, the following requirements shall be met:

5.6.1 There must be at a minimum one service counter that accommodates a mobility aid for each type of service provided and the accessible service counter must be identified with signage, where there are multiple queuing lines and service counters.

1.6.2 Each service counter must accommodate a mobility aid, where a single queuing line serves single or multiple counters.

The service counter that accommodates mobility aids shall meet the following requirements:

• The countertop height must be such that it is usable by a person seated in a mobility aid.
• There must be sufficient knee clearance for a person seated in a mobility aid, where a forward approach to the counter is required.
• The floor space in front of the counter must be sufficiently clear to accommodate a mobility aid.

When constructing new fixed queuing guides, the following requirements shall be met:

• The fixed queuing guides must provide sufficient width to allow for the passage of mobility aids and mobility assistive devices.
• The fixed queuing guides must have sufficiently clear floor area to permit mobility aids to turn where queuing lines change direction.
• The fixed queuing guides must be cane detectable.

When constructing a new waiting area or redeveloping an existing waiting area, where the seating is fixed to the floor, a minimum of three per cent of the new seating must be accessible, but in no case shall there be fewer than one accessible seating space.