Star investigation: 3 GTA hospitals don’t proactively audit access-to-patient files

[inanna]

...

In recent months, thousands of patients at hospitals across the region have had their confidential medical records accessed for no medical reason. Incidents ranged from hospital staffers providing baby photographers with new mothers’ contact information to nurses peeking at former Mayor Rob Ford’s files when he started treatment for cancer.

Last week, Beamish released a damning report on Rouge Valley Centenary Hospital, which had a massive privacy breach involving more than 14,000 patients and still lacks the ability to track staff access to confidential files. Shaida Bandali, a former Rouge Valley clerk, was charged with selling securities without a licence last month for allegedly providing medical records of new mothers from the hospital to financial companies peddling Registered Education Savings Plans.

“I hope that this kind of an order brings some publicity and raises some awareness out there for hospitals to go back and take a look at how they are auditing and make sure that their audit is comprehensive enough,” Beamish told the Star.

Rouge Valley Centenary Hospital declined to comment for this story, citing ongoing litigation.

Link: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/12/26/star_investigation_3_gta_hospitals_dont_proactively_audit_accesstopatient_files.html

Interesting. I had the Registered Education Savings Plan folks contact me after my daughter was born. I don't live in Toronto. This is complete and utter BS!

[arikara]

1. They just let some nurses in Victoria go

for snooping around in people's files. Thing is, computerized files are relatively recent and there was no way to tell before. The Mr's chart is as big as 3 phone books so when he goes in nobody even wants to look at it.

[inanna]

2. This was a big story in my city as well...

Several months ago. Many people were dismissed because of it.