Health information supervisor fined for snooping

EDMONTON – A former Alberta health information supervisor has been fined $5,000 for unauthorized access to patient records.

Amanda Tripp pleaded guilty to 13 charges under the Health Information Act. The privacy commissioner’s office says that Alberta Health Services was notified in June 2013 that Tripp had visited with her boyfriend in the records room at the Tofield Health Centre.

Canadian Press said the health agency did an audit and reported to the privacy commissioner that Tripp had improperly gained access to patient records.

An investigation by the privacy office found that Tripp had improperly accessed the electronic health records of 14 people on 25 occasions.

Part of Tripp’s job was to respond to access-to-information requests from individuals and to RCMP requests for patients’ health information. She had completed a course on information privacy, was aware of information technology security and had a working knowledge of the Health Information Act.

She was charged in April 2015, but because the act has a two-year-limitation, authorities could not pursue all of the alleged breaches.