The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has charged three former hospital employees in separate incidents involving privacy breaches under the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA).
According to the OPP, the investigations revealed the individuals inappropriately accessed electronic medical records beyond their scope of care. In some cases, they viewed information unrelated to their duties, accessed details after their involvement in a patient’s care had ended, or viewed data outside their professional responsibilities.
The names of the hospitals were not released but officials says the incidents occurred at hospitals in western, eastern, and northern Ontario. Charges were laid by the OPP Anti-Rackets Branch’s Health Fraud Investigation Unit following year-long investigations.
Under PHIPA, offences related to the misuse of personal health information carry penalties of up to $200,000 in fines and one year in prison.
Anyone with information about health-related fraud or privacy violations is encouraged to contact the Ministry of Health by calling 1-888-781-5556 or emailing reportohipfraud.moh@ontario.ca. You can also make an anonymous report through Crime Stoppers.
(Written by: Scott Arnold)