CBC News Posted: Jul 20, 2011:
A Regina doctor is being faulted for poor record-keeping practices after thousands of patient files were discovered in a paper-recycling bin, according to a report by Saskatchewan's privacy commissioner.
"This is without question the largest breach of patient privacy that our office has encountered in eight years since the Health Information Protection Act was enacted," Gary Dickson, the commissioner, said in news release issued Wednesday along with his report.
Dickson was alerted to the files on March 23 after receiving a tip that hundreds of boxes of patient records appeared to have been left in a recycling bin in Regina's south end, near some doctors' offices.
According to Dickson, the records were in the care of Dr. Teik Im Ooi, from the Albert Park Family Medical Centre.
He said the records were ... Read more>>
Doctor Speedy and ME in search of medical honesty
Proper record keeping should always be practiced especially in a hospital setting. This incident is very alarming since many patient files that are supposedly confidential are exposed. Guidelines regarding appropriate documentation and maintenance should be imposed so that this kind of file mismanagement would not happen again.
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