Ontario Hospital Association
200 Front Street West, Suite 2800
Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3L1
Tel: (416) 205-1345 Fax: (416) 205-1360
Visit our Web Site: http://www.oha.com
April 20, 2011
Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hospital Association supported the extension of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA) to Ontario’s hospitals. In fact, we called on the Government of Ontario to do this in 2009.
Now that FOIPPA has been extended to hospitals, the OHA is working closely with the government and the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner to prepare hospitals for January 1, 2012, the date the FOIPPA will come into force. This includes sharing best practices and advice with hospitals to ensure that are equipped to meet their new obligations.
We understand that some law firms have chosen to publicly share their general opinions on the FOIPPA as it applies to hospitals, and on how they would recommend their clients proceed. That is their prerogative. However, the first principle for the OHA – and for the law firms that are actually assisting us in preparing hospitals for FOIPPA – is that the spirit and the letter of FOIPPA must be adhered to at all times, period. To do otherwise would undermine public confidence in hospitals and our health care system.
The OHA and Ontario’s hospitals will continue our efforts to improve the transparency and accountability of the work we do, and to enhancing public confidence in our health care system.
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