This publication replaces the guidance document, What to do When Faced With a Privacy Breach: Guidelines for the Health Sector. This new, updated guide highlights the importance of having a detailed privacy breach protocol and explains the steps to take in responding to a breach under Ontario’s
A particularly rough influenza season this year has contributed to a healthy interest in statistical information related to flu outbreaks. The public wants to know how serious the flu-threat is in their community, a risk often measured by the number of local flu-related deaths. Recently, our office
Just about everyone is asked at one time or another to provide photo identification. Being asked for your health card for identification purposes has raised a few questions about when it is acceptable to ask for or show a health card for this purpose. This is especially true for individuals whose
Individuals and organizations rely on email for its convenience, speed and economy. Health information custodians are no exception. While email offers many benefits, it also poses risks to the privacy of individuals and to the security of personal health information. This sensitive information must
This fact sheet describes the risks of using email and custodians’ obligations under the Personal Health Information Protection Act. It outlines some of the technical, physical and administrative safeguards needed to protect personal health information when communicating by email and the policies
