Island Health apologizes for second privacy breach in 3 weeks

For the second time in three weeks, Island Health is apologizing for a privacy breach. The latest incident involves an employee who accessed the records of 34 people who received services from the health authority.

Today, Island Health president and CEO Brendan Carr apologized, calling it a gross breach of patient, client and public trust.

"Our employees know it's wrong to look at the private health information of patients when they have no legitimate reason to do so," he said.

"It saddens and disappoints me that the actions of a very, very small minority of our 19,000 staff violate the values and high ethical standards we all work towards at Island Health. Our patients deserve better."

Island Health discovered the breach during a routine audit. The findings confirmed an employee used their access privileges to view patient records. The health authority says there was no relationship between that staff member and the patients.

A pattern of breaches

The incident comes just three weeks after the worst privacy breach in Island Health's history. Two workers were let go after they accessed nearly 200 patient records without authorization. Some of the patients affected in that breach were described as prominent members of the community.

it's not the first privacy breach the health authority has had to apologize for. Two years ago there was another breach involving two other employees. They were dismissed for looking at 112 health records.

Island Health says the employee involved in the latest breach is no longer with the organization. It says it is in the process of notifying all individuals impacted, all of whom are from Vancouver Island.

Better protection for private information

Island health says it has notified B.C.'s Privacy Commissioner about the most recent breach.

Drew McArthur, B.C.'s acting information and privacy commissioner, says he is pleased Island Health chose to report the breach publicly and that it took the appropriate steps to investigate. However, McArthur says he would like to see offenders reprimanded more strongly.

"There should be penalties and fines associated when individuals breach their obligations under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act," said McArthur.

Introducing fines and further penalties would require the province to change existing legislation.

Last year, B.C.'s previous privacy commissioner called for immediate action by provincial health authorities to boost protection of citizen's health information in the absence of disclosure laws.