CA: Ontario Provincial Police charge three former hospital employees PHIPA violations of patient privacy breaches

The investigations began following three separate complaints in different regions of Ontario, suggesting that multiple hospital workers could be involved in breaches of patient confidentiality.

Typically, breaches of patient privacy are handled internally by hospitals, or referred to licensing boards, making the OPP's criminal charges a rare instance of legal action under PHIPA.

There's speculation about whether the accessed information was intended for fraudulent purposes, or if the Ontario authorities are primarily signaling the need for tight PHIPA compliance.

The decision to charge employees under PHIPA—which regulates how personal health information should be handled—highlights a growing concern over privacy in the healthcare system.

Read at Databreaches