AHS mulls discipline over privacy breaches

CALGARY Alberta Health Services says four dozen of its employees in the Calgary zone are facing disciplinary action for inappropriately accessing a patient’s information.

CEO Vickie Kaminski says the 48 people work at South Health Campus and across the Calgary region.

She says one person is facing termination, while the others are being suspended without pay from two to five days.

Kaminski says all AHS employees are accountable for patient privacy.

She says user activity in AHS electronic systems is recorded and audited, and suspicious activity or accessing information are flagged.

The Calgary zone stretches north to Didsbury, south to Claresholm, west to Banff and east to Gleichen.

“All AHS employees, physicians and volunteers are accountable for patient privacy. It is not only the right thing to do; it is the law,” Kaminski said in a statement Wednesday.

“AHS also reports privacy breaches to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner ... the body that holds authority to pursue prosecution of any individual who perpetrates breaches under the Health Information Act.”

Kaminski said prosecutions can result in fines and are reported to the appropriate professional regulatory bodies.