ARCHIVED - Canada's Health Infostructure

Federal/Provincial/Territorial Health CIO's Forum: Workshop on Privacy, October 1998

On October 15-16, 1998, Health Canada hosted a meeting of Federal/Provincial/Territorial officers to develop a strategic security framework to allow the transfer of personal health information across Canada.

Participants included representatives from 8 P/T jurisdictions, a representative from the Office of the Ontario Privacy Commissioner, the Advisory Council on Health Infostructure, the Canadian Institute for Health Information, and Health Canada. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Andrew Siman, Director General, Office of Health and the Information Highway, Health Canada.

Participants were tasked with developing an immediate action plan related to the security in the use of information and communications technology in the health system.

Workshop results:

• Participants endorsed the need for the harmonization of F/P/T privacy regimes and systems for the secure and appropriate communication of personal health information across Canada.
• It was recommended that the Conference of Deputy Ministers of Health be requested to establish a special National Task Force to develop a harmonized approach to the privacy and security of personal health information.
• A planning committee was established to determine the terms of reference and focus for such a National Task Force.