Friday, October 4, 2019 ~ BC
~ West Shore Voice News
Medical clinics throughout British Columbia need to do more to protect the often highly sensitive personal information in their custody, according to a review from the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC (OIPC), as released September 25.
The Audit and Compliance Report P19 01: Compliance Review of Medical Clinics looked at how 22 BC medical clinics — each with five or more licensed physicians on staff — were meeting legal obligations under the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) which governs how private organizations collect, use and disclose personal information.
OIPC auditors examined privacy management programs and privacy policies of those clinics, as well as their collection and safeguarding of personal information.
Gaps in privacy management programs were found at several clinics, including absence of a designated privacy officer, lack of funding and resources for privacy, and a failure to ensure that privacy practices keep up with technological advances.
BC Information and privacy commissioner Michael McEvoy said the report raises concerns about patient privacy that are relevant throughout the province.
“Medical clinics were chosen for this review for two reasons: the amount and sensitivity of the personal information they collect — some of the most sensitive personal information out there — and the volume of complaints and privacy breach reports my office receives that are related to privacy practices at facilities like these,” McEvoy said.
“The results show that while some clinics were complying with their obligations, many have work to do when it comes to improving their privacy practices,” he said.
“There is no question about the intense demands medical professionals face. However, respecting and protecting patients’ private information is critically important. Doctors and staff at clinics not only owe it to their patients to do their utmost to build and maintain strong privacy programs, but they are also legally obligated to abide by privacy legislation. I hope that the focus of this report underscores the need for clinics to address gaps in how they protect this sensitive personal information and my office’s willingness to assist them in doing so,” said McEvoy in his report.
The report’s 16 recommendations are aimed at helping clinics address the gaps in their privacy management programs, building better policies and safeguards, and ensuring they provide adequate notification about the purposes of collecting personal information online, including:
- build a robust privacy management program that covers everything from creating a personal information inventory and privacy policies, to breach response protocol and monitoring compliance;
- ensure adequate funding and resources for effective privacy management programs;
- designate a privacy officer and establish and communicate clear internal reporting structures on privacy issues;
- provide ongoing privacy training for all who access personal information, including staff, physicians and contractors; and
- exercise caution when collecting information online and ensure adequate notification to patients.
The report is available online.
Michael McEvoy was appointed Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC by unanimous motion of the Legislative Assembly. He began his six-year term as an independent Officer of the Legislature on April 1, 2018.
======= RELATED:
SOOKE: Funding for additional medical personnel salaries at the existing West Shore Family Medical Centre, May 2019 [May 5, 2019 West Shore Voice News]
SOOKE: New medical offices opening in November 2019 with three family doctors and specialists available by appointment [see page 6 in the August 16, 2019 print/PDF weekend edition of West Shore Voice News]
LANGFORD: A new BC-funded primary urgent care clinic opened in central Langford on Goldstream Avenue in November 2018 [October 27, 2019 in West Shore Voice News]
========= NOTES:
This article was first published on page 2 in the September 27 to 29, 2019 Print-PDF edition of West Shore Voice News. | Subscribers get their PDF’s first – Premium & Link Subscriptions available.