I have noticed over the last month that the tone of conversations has changed and social critique has resurfaced. Individuals are rightly asking more questions. There is greater need in all aspects of life and public service for clarity and certainty. There are more queries and complaints about the impact of decisions made in the… Read more »
The global pandemic COVID-19 has left us all feeling unsettled at best. Some of us have no work. Some of us have too much work. Regardless of what camp you find yourself in – I thought this might be a message worth sharing. I was reminded this morning that I cannot be all things to… Read more »
The Public Hospitals Act deals with the relationship between hospitals and their Professional Staff members (physicians, dentists, midwives and some nurse practitioners). In a pandemic, pull out your Professional Staff By-laws and look for provisions dealing with temporary appointments to the Professional Staff to deal with an emergency. The concept of temporary appointments should be… Read more »
I am a calm and logical person. We are facing unprecedented impact in our world and that causes uncertainty and instability for everyone. I have felt a bit unsettled for a few days now. When I feel like that, I need practical, concrete information to help me make informed choices. If I am feeling like… Read more »
Just when you thought it was safe … a new class action was recently certified after a health privacy breach at a hospital in Ontario. Here’s what every health Privacy Officer needs to know. Stewart v. Demme and William Osler Health System (2020) “The central question … is whether a privacy violation can be “highly… Read more »
It’s not enough for health care organizations to respect patient privacy rights. I believe we have an obligation to help our patients understand those rights and activate them. There is a definite power imbalance between health care providers and patients when it comes to their understanding of privacy. Patients (and their caregivers) don’t receive a… Read more »
The Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) just released a new blog titled: “Cameras in Doctors’ Exam Rooms? Not in Ontario” and released Decision 98. In this decision, a media outlet notified the IPC that a cosmetic surgery clinic was using surveillance cameras in examination rooms. The clinic had 24 security cameras recording continuously… Read more »
In a new Decision 96 of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC), a father who had access-only (not custody) of his children wanted a certain information from a health care provider. The health care provider refused to confirm or deny they had information about the children. The father complained to the IPC. The… Read more »
On July 1st a new law came into effect: the Missing Persons Act, 2018. Healthcare organizations and providers need to know about this new law because there may be new documentation from police you will need to review. The police now have more powers when investigating missing persons in Ontario. Missing Person A “missing person”… Read more »
Yup – you do! I have heard from a lot of healthcare teams recently that they have been struggling with vacation, sick days, leaves of absence and unexpected departures from the Privacy Office. When you rely on one person in your organization to deal with all the privacy issues, you can feel vulnerable when that… Read more »
For Privacy Officers within healthcare organizations - now totally online.
This course focuses on how to become a more confident privacy officer and gives you the tools to document your privacy program. Full details and registration here...
Part of Kate’s monthly webinar series.
Our April program is on COVID-19 and the May program will address governance tips and tricks.
Full details of the 2020 webinar series and registration here.
Free webinars - advance registration needed
Whether you're an experienced privacy officer or new in the field, pick Kate’s brain for free for an hour, in this live webinar. No charge, but you’ll need to register in advance.
For Primary Care clinics, Hospitals, Community Agencies and Children’s Aid
Kate trains health professionals from many more health care organizations how being privacy-respectful can improve therapeutic relationships. More details...
Kate says:
My mission is bringing the law to life. I make legal theory understandable, accessible and fun! I’m available and love to work for all organizations in the healthcare sector across Ontario and beyond.
901 King Street West Suite 400 East Tower
Toronto Ontario M5V 3H5
(416) 855 9557