19 patients affected in Eastern Health privacy breach

ST. JOHN’S – Eastern Health is calling a privacy breach involving 19 patients at a travelling clinic in Happy Valley-Goose Bay accidental. “I apologize to all of the patients, as well as their families, for this accidental material breach,” said Eastern Health CEO David Diamond (pictured) in a news release.

The health authority said the personal information of some patients went missing during an orthopedic travelling clinic from June 6 to 10. All those affected were patients of the Janeway Children’s Health and Rehabilitation Centre. There’s no word on how the breach occurred.

Diamond said there’s no reason to believe the missing information has been misused. Eastern Health said it was in the midst of contacting all the patients, and has also notified the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.

“We will make every effort to learn from this accidental privacy breach as we continue to further strengthen our privacy and confidentiality practices,” said Ron Johnson, Eastern Health’s vice-president responsible for privacy.

“In addition to the measures we already have in place to ensure patient privacy, we are always investigating ways to improve and enhance privacy. And we continue to take action to enforce awareness among all healthcare workers of their obligation to maintain the privacy of our patients, residents and clients.”