Two Chatham-Kent Health Alliance employees have been fired after reportedly being caught snooping through patient files.
According to the CKHA, during a recent routine audit of patient electronic health records, the organization discovered that two employees accessed a number of health records without a valid reason to do so.
As a result, the hospital launched an investigation which revealed that the two employees inappropriately accessed the records of approximately 120 patients.
"Based on the result of the investigation and given the lack of pattern to the inappropriate accesses, it was determined these are cases of random snooping due to curiosity," hospital officers said through a media release. "CKHA can also confirm that the employees did not copy or print the health records that were inappropriately accessed. Snooping is unacceptable and the employees no longer work for CKHA."
In November 2020, CKHA’s new electronic record system was implemented which provides the hospital with enhanced auditing capabilities and strengthens the ability to protect the privacy and confidentiality of patients.
According to the release, the hospital provides staff education with annual privacy training in addition to annual hospital information system training. The hospital also plans to implement further privacy education through its internal communication tools.
“CKHA is committed to patient-centred care and preserving patients’ trust in the care they are receiving and the staff providing that care,” said CKHA President and CEO Lori Marshall. “We regret that these privacy breaches happened. We will continue the routine auditing of patient electronic health records.”
Additionally, CKHA has reported the privacy breaches to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario and notified the impacted individuals via mail.
