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Owner says North Battleford store receiving private medical records via fax

Before the AMPLIFI project, Ontario hospitals and long-term care homes shared data via fax. Daniel Kaesler/ EyeEm / Getty Images

The Saskatchewan Health Authority is looking into instances where confidential medical records were allegedly faxed to a computer store in North Battleford.

The fax number at Kelly’s Computer Works, 306-446-3131, is just one digit different from a physician that works in the province.

On Monday morning, the business received a five-page medical report and owner Darryl Arnold said this isn’t an isolated incident.

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Arnold said he’s received dozens of private health records and was told an investigation would be conducted earlier this year.

Officials with the health authority said Monday they are aware that there have been previous instances of information being inadvertently faxed to a wrong number.

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They added that any patient involved in a privacy breach is notified in writing.

“We ask anyone who has received a fax in error to notify the senders or a Saskatchewan Health Authority privacy office,” the health authority said in a statement to Global News.

“As with any potential privacy breach, we will be reporting this in accordance with privacy policy and procedures, and conducting investigation into what has occurred. As part of this process have alerted the Office of the Saskatchewan Information and Privacy Commissioner.”

The health authority said, as part of the investigation, there will be recommendations on how to ensure this error is not repeated.

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