Dr. Taft: Mr. Speaker, last week’s report by the Privacy Commissioner into violations of privacy of personal electronic health records is deeply troubling to anyone who has read it.

It’s clear there is a significant risk of widespread abuses and intrusions into people’s personal medical information.

To the minister of health: hospital staff obtained lab results and diagnostic imaging reports unlawfully by using co-workers’ accounts to log on to patient health records. How widespread are such violations?

Mr. Horne: Mr. Speaker, I have no information that has been presented to me to suggest that this is a widespread problem. That said, I will express my wholehearted agreement with the hon. member that the incident that was reported on by the Privacy Commissioner is a disturbing one.
I take some heart in the fact that this issue was detected quickly, that our audit and assurance procedures are such that we can identify when someone inappropriately uses health information. I’m sure the investigation that’s under way now will come forward with additional recommendations to help secure that information from similar misuse.

Dr. Taft: Mr. Speaker, the reason to be concerned that it’s widespread is that the report states, “It is common practice, at least at this . . . emergency department, for staff to simply use who-ever’s Netcare account is currently logged in and available,” and that in this one case 12 different accounts were used. Has this minister launched action to safeguard the most personal of personal information?

Mr. Horne: Mr. Speaker, the report also stated the fact that the emergency department was so busy meant that the security for access to the computer had not always had an opportunity to kick in prior to someone else walking by and perhaps having an opportunity to use that same computer. I believe the recommend-ation suggested ways in which this could be addressed, and I know Alberta Health Services is focused on doing that right now.

Dr. Taft: Mr. Speaker, given that emergency departments across this province are at least as busy as this one, we need to suspect that this practice is widespread. Given that 21 breaches were investigated at just this one emergency department, how does this minister know, if he’s not going to look, that this case is not just the tip of an iceberg of privacy violations at emergency and other departments all around the province?

Mr. Horne: Well, Mr. Speaker, speaking of logic, the premise of the hon. member’s question would have us believe that the desire to inappropriately access health information on the part of health care workers is widespread. I don’t believe that’s true. I believe the appropriate recommendations have been made by the Information and Privacy Commissioner. I will look for assurance from Alberta Health Services that they are taking corrective measures.

Thank you.

Alberta Hansard, December 5, 2011

[direct link to this article]