Wednesday, May 30, 2007
For the Attention of
Hospital CEOs, Board Chairs, Chiefs of Staff, OHA Board of Directors and CACN Members
Hilary Short
President and CEO
IPC Annual Report Contains Recommendations for Hospitals
The Annual Report of Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC), released Tuesday May 29, 2007, contained a number of recommendations for hospitals regarding the handling of personal health information.
IPC Commissioner Ann Cavoukian used a case at an Ontario hospital to demonstrate the need for a “culture of privacy” at organizations that handle personal health information.
Cavoukian also urged health information custodians to avoid ‘abandoning’ records in the event of a change in practice. To that end, the IPC released new guidelines that address privacy safeguards and the continuity of records management, outlining responsibilities and best practices under the Personal Health Information Protection Act to ensure health records are never abandoned.
The OHA urges hospitals to review both orders made by the IPC on page 46 of the attached report. The guidelines for records management have also been attached.
Questions regarding the IPC Annual Report can be directed to Chris McPherson, OHA Public Affairs, at (416) 205-1305 or by email at cmcpherson@oha.com.