Nova Scotia’s privacy commissioner wants the province’s doctors to move away from faxing medical referrals.
The suggestion comes in the wake of an investigation launched after a business in Bedford received three faxes containing confidential mental health information which were intended for the Bedford Sackville Community Mental Health Clinic.
The two fax numbers were different by just one digit, causing the confusion.
Privacy Commissioner Catherine Tully says the incidents aren’t isolated.
“We hope by raising the issue in the public eye it raises the issue to health custodians and they will take greater care, and they will implement the recommendations with respect to proper faxing practices,” Tully said.
Tully said there is a “pattern of mis-sending faxes” and that Nova Scotians should “definitely be concerned.”
In the report, Tully said they made two recommendations to the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA), which have both been accepted.
In addition to moving away from using faxes, Tully recommended the Bedford Sackville Clinic’s fax number be red-flagged so doctors still using fax machines know to be careful they enter the right number.
In an emailed statement from the NSHA, spokesperson Kristen Lipscombe said that though the mis-faxing of patient referrals wasn’t done by NSHA staff, “the authority has worked with the OPIC on the review of the breaches and on the search for ways to remedy the issue.”
The NSHA said they’ve accepted and are working to implement the commissioner’s first recommendation, the second is under review and the third has been accepted.
Lipscombe did not provide any details on how the authority plans to implement any changes.
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