How is PIPEDA affecting your practice?

[laurasc]

Has Canada's new privacy laws made an impact on your practice? I work in a family practice clinic and the Pipeda laws are a real pain in the fanny. My hands are now tied when a wife calls for her husband's results or when a mother calls for her 14 or 15 year old child's results. I can't discuss anything unless I get permission from the person in question or unless I talk to the actual person. I can understand the reasoning behind it and although it is a pain, I really don't have a problem withholding info....but a lot of people don't understand and get very angry. My hubbs is an information security specialist and he works in the head office of a company that owns LTC and retirement residences and he says that if you're caught giving out information illegally, it's as much as jail time as well as a $10,000 fine.

Pretty scary stuff.

Laura

[nurse_1098]

Has Canada's new privacy laws made an impact on your practice?

Laura

Not really, we have been 'mum' on most things anyway, leaving discussion to go through the patient, not from us, to the family.

[laurasc]

Not really, we have been 'mum' on most things anyway, leaving discussion to go through the patient, not from us, to the family.

What about children? A 14-year old has bloodwork done and mom wants the results. By law you can't give any medical information out on anyone over the age of 14. I had to deal with exactly that situation last week.

IMO, it shouldn't be 14 years old...it should be older.

[nurse_1098]

What about children? ....

IMO, it shouldn't be 14 years old...it should be older.

Yes, I do agree that it should be older. At whatever age a person is a legal adult (18, here in Alberta) sounds more than reasonable. The 14 year old is yet not old enough to make legal decisions, their healthcare ought not be in their decision-making realm either, but with guidance from their legal guardian.