REGINA — Saskatchewan Health Authority says it is advising patients who requested a copy of their personal health records between 2015 and early 2022 their release of information request may not have been complete.
According to SHA’s news release, due to an access and security settings error in the electronic patient health record Sunrise Clinical Manager, an electronic patient health record, Health Information Services staff in the former Saskatoon, rural, and north health regions were unaware they were unable to print nursing flowsheets, which are documents used to record specific patient care information while in the hospital. According to the SHA this includes records such things as patients’ general progress, weight, height, blood pressure, heart rate, respiration (breathing) and temperature.
The SHA further states this access and security error had no impact on the quality of care provided during the patients’ admissions, and that patient care providers had full access to the entire patient health record to ensure safe, quality care. The SHA also states it has proactively notified the office of the Saskatchewan Information and Privacy Commissioner, and that health information staff now have appropriate access for printing all electronic nursing flowsheets in all facilities where implementation of these electronic documents is in place.
Patients who had previously made requests for a copy of their personal health information between 2015 and Feb. 28, 2022, where electronic nursing flowsheets exist and who are still interested in obtaining a copy, may request these records at no charge by contacting the facility where the original request was made.
“The SHA takes its role as a trustee under the Health Information Protection Act very seriously and has a legal obligation to ensure personal health information is protected and accessible upon request,” said Pat Stuart, SHA ED privacy and health information management in a statement. “The SHA sincerely apologizes for the error that has occurred and has taken action to prevent reoccurrence.”
