Medical Records Turn Up on Real-Estate Flyer
Anon
TORONTO-- A hospital in Ottawa is trying to find out how some of its
medical test results ended up on the back of a real estate flyer in
Toronto this week.
The flyer shows pictures of houses for sale on one side, and the
results of a mammogram done at the Ottawa Hospital on the other.
The Toronto-area printer who made the flyers said he uses scrap paper
for test runs.
Raymond Au of Treyon Litho Printing in Markham, north of Toronto, said
it appears that some of the test versions, printed on scrap paper he
bought more than a year ago, were accidentally sent out.
Au said he doesn't know the name of the person who sold him the scrap
paper.
Ottawa Hospital CEO Dr. Jack Kitts says his organization's security
was not breached, and that the original test results are still on file
at the hospital.
But Kitts said an investigation has found the woman's records were
released from another health clinic to a Toronto law office.
"If it does turn out to be from a law office, I would be very
concerned how widespread confidential information gets. I would think
a law office would be up to date on confidentiality and security
issues," said Kitts.
Don Kilby, the director of health services for the University of
Ottawa, said his facility copied the records at the patient's request
and sent them to a law firm in Toronto.
Kilby hasn't been able to talk with the recipient of the documents at
the law firm because that person is out of the country.
"Usually when a release is made it's to a given individual, that
person becomes technically responsible for the information on behalf
of that patient," Kilby said.
"We would have liked to have spoken to that person to ascertain for
ourselves why that information would have ended up with a paper
recycler."
Kilby said patient-confidentiality rules prevented him from
identifying the law firm.
But more lawyers are likely to be involved before this investigation
ends, said Ontario's privacy commissioner.
"I'm sure [the patient] will be consulting a lawyer in terms of a
civil action," said Ann Cavoukian.
When people consent to the release of health information, those
documents should be destroyed after being used, Cavoukian said. That
means shredding or burning the records rather than simply throwing
them out.
"This is not rocket science," she said. "Truly, this is a relatively
simple matter if someone's attention is turned to it."
Kilby said he has talked to the patient. He said she is concerned, but
has taken the news in stride.
Written by CBC News Online staff