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Privacy
Manitoba to adopt guidelines from
COACH
WINNIPEG – Another Canadian
province has moved a step closer to the broad and consistent application
of best practices in the collection, use and disclosure of sensitive
personal health information. Recently, the Winnipeg Regional Health
Authority and Manitoba eHealth signed a three-year agreement with COACH
for its health information and privacy guidelines.
This agreement enables the use and distribution of the COACH Guidelines
for the Protection of Health Information across the entire Manitoba
provincial healthcare system.
The agreement, finalized at the end of March, provides Manitoba with
province-wide use of the Guidelines for public and private sector
healthcare organizations. Similar agreements were set up between COACH
and the Alberta and Saskatchewan health ministries in 2007.
The Guidelines document is a practical, easy-to-use electronic resource
for minimizing risk, maximizing integrity and protecting the privacy of
sensitive personal health information. Aligned with national and
international standards, principles-based, focused on healthcare
practices, and broadly applicable, the latest 182-page edition was
published in January 2008.
“The Guidelines thoroughly support our privacy and security
requirements,” said Wilma Arsenault, Divisional Director of Government
Relations and Business Office for Manitoba eHealth. “This tool is
essential in bringing privacy and security consistency and best
practices to many of Manitoba’s eHealth initiatives. This is especially
relevant as the Electronic Health Record (EHR) is beginning to be
established across Manitoba.”
“The EHR is a major factor in COACH’s desire to make a pan-Canadian set
of Guidelines fully relevant, up-to-date and aligned with Canada Health
Infoway and international standards,” commented COACH CEO Don Newsham.
“There is an urgent need for easy to use and immediately applicable
tools for protecting the confidentiality and integrity of personal
health information while simultaneously enabling healthcare
professionals to access the information they need to provide appropriate
and safe care to Canadians everywhere.”
More information The Guidelines are available to all jurisdictions under
a license agreement with COACH that provides a subscription to the
content and annual updates as part of the multi-year agreement. The
Guidelines are also available at single and quantity discount rates. For
more information, including a copy of the Preface and Table of Contents,
visit www.coachorg.com.
COACH: Canada’s Health Informatics Association, is dedicated to
promoting the use and practice of health informatics within the Canadian
health system through information sharing, networking, education,
conferences and communication. Founded in 1975, COACH has a diverse and
multi-disciplinary membership of more than 1,300 individuals with common
interests in sharing ideas and efforts. COACH is advancing the practice
of health informatics and is one of the most dynamic resources in the
health industry in Canada.
For more information, contact COACH at:
Phone: (416) 494-9324, toll free 1-888-253-8554
E-mail:
communications@coachorg.com
www.coachorg.com.
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