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Saskatchewan privacy boss issues new rules for misdirected patient health faxes

The Saskatchewan government stepped in to help three Regina doctors who were having problems getting their patients' digital medical records from the clinic where they used to work. Monica Rodriguez / Getty Images

REGINA – Saskatchewan’s privacy commissioner and Ministry of Health are taking more steps to stop patient health information from ending up in the wrong hands.

Commissioner Gary Dickson has issued guidelines for those in the health sector, including doctors and pharmacies, who may fax information to the wrong number or receive a fax by mistake.

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The guidelines say that if a fax is sent to the wrong place, health providers need to confirm that the information was destroyed.

Dickson says a checklist on when and how health information should be faxed was issued in 2009.

But he says problems persist and his office is investigating two dozen cases that involve misdirected faxes.

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