Dec 6, 2010

With the first phase of eChart Manitoba going live this week, Manitoba Ombudsman Irene Hamilton has released a fact sheet highlighting personal privacy protections in this newest part of the province's electronic health record (EHR) system.

Over the past three years, Manitoba Ombudsman has met regularly with Manitoba eHealth, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) and Manitoba Health about Manitoba eHealth's development of an electronic system that will bring together patient information collected at different points of in care in Manitoba. That information will be available to authorized health care providers anytime and anywhere in the province. The system, called eChart Manitoba, continues to be built.

"This week, three health care locations will have available to them the first phase of eChart, containing certain demographic and personal health information of all Manitobans. It is important that individuals are aware of the personal privacy protections in the system," said Hamilton.

"Individuals can see and have some control over their personal health information in eChart," said Hamilton. " For example, they have the ability to request that their personal health information be masked by adding a disclosure directive. As well, an individual can request a record of user activity to see who has viewed his or her information in eChart."

The Ombudsman's role under The Personal Health Information Act (PHIA) includes commenting on the implications for confidentiality of personal health information of government programs and of using information technology in the collection, storage, use and transfer of personal health information.

eChart Manitoba has been developed and is being maintained by Manitoba eHealth on behalf of the Manitoba Government. Manitoba eHealth has posted information about eChart Manitoba at http://www.connectedcare.ca/echartmanitoba/index.html, including forms for requesting a disclosure directive, a record of user activity and access to one's personal health information on eChart.