February 10, 2025
Hi everyone,
Health PEI has a long-standing commitment to maintaining the confidentiality and privacy of our patients' personal health information. Upholding this principle is a responsibility that we all share, and it is integral to the trust our patients place in us.
Health PEI discovered this fall that an employee at the Prince County Hospital had accessed patient records without permission. An initial investigation revealed that this individual accessed 105 personal patient records between July 1 and October 15, 2024.
Privacy breaches of this nature are completely unacceptable, and as a result, the employee in question has been terminated from their position with Health PEI.
We have several policies in place addressing confidentiality, our code of conduct, and patient rights and responsibilities. Every staff member is provided with information and education on these policies upon beginning their employment, and ongoing education is provided throughout employment. Additionally, all staff are required to sign a confidentiality agreement at the time of hiring.
This breach has been reported to the PEI Information and Privacy Commissioner, who will be reviewing Health PEI’s response to this incident. The Health PEI Privacy Team is conducting further inquiries to determine the full scope of the breach.
It is important for all of us to remember that the inappropriate actions of one individual do not reflect the exceptional work, commitment, and professionalism of our staff.
Your dedication to providing high-quality care and maintaining patient trust is something that we all value deeply, and I know that our collective efforts will continue to ensure the privacy and safety of the people we serve.
Sincerely,
Mel