Dear valued patient
Patient confidentiality is always a top priority at CHANGEpain.
The following are important updates on the confidentiality and information privacy policies pertaining specifically to our virtual care services at CHANGEpain.
Our guidelines set out by the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) Office of Virtual Health, Canadian Data Protection regulations, including the Personal Information Protection Act and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) and College of Physicians & Surgeons of BC.
Under the Provincial Digital Communications Policy, verbal or digital consent will be acquired from patients by the service providing physician at the beginning of the virtual service appointment.
For our group services, we have been using Zoom. Recently, since May 19, 2020, the Ministry of Health is endorsing Zoom for Healthcare and has provided support for BC physicians to use this platform. Zoom is compliant with Canadian Data Protection regulations, including the Personal Information Protection Act and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA).
We also adhere to Zoom for Healthcare security best practices that include:
Each group or individual meetings have their own generated Meeting IDs.
Waiting rooms are used when necessary.
Patient identities are confirmed and matched to the registration and are removed if unmatched.
Group sessions are monitored by our patient care coordinators and appointment facilitators. Meetings are locked after 10 minutes from the start.
Only trusted links are used and zoom updates are applied regularly.
Recordings are disabled.
For practicality, we have not made passwords mandatory for our large group sessions.
5. For our individual appointments, we use a secure, encrypted video-conferencing system through our EMR provider InputHealth. However please note the following guidelines proposed by the Provincial Health Services Authority for your information and benefit:
We aim to confirm that any personal information we send is being received by you and only you, but it’s never possible to have 100% certainty who we are communicating with outside of a face-to-face visit.
Please be aware that we cannot control what happens to information once it is stored: 1) on your device; 2) by telecommunications providers; 3) by software or application providers; or 4) by other applications that may have access to your messages.
You are responsible for the security of your own computer/tablet, email service and telephone.
Risks of using digital communications
The information could be requested, viewed, changed or deleted if others are allowed access to your phone, tablet or email account.
Information may be vulnerable if stored on a computer/device that has been compromised by viruses or malware.
Organizations may have to disclose information where required by law or under court order.
Electronic communications can be intercepted by third parties.
Your data may be stored and/or accessed outside of Canada.
What can you do to improve your own data security?
Protect your passwords! Someone could pose as you by sending us a request from your device or email account.
Use download Apps from trusted sources (Google Play, iStore). If the info you are wanting to communicate is of a sensitive nature, you may want to seek a more secure method of communication.
Delete emails and texts you no longer require.
Concerns or inquiries:
Please direct your questions to reception@changepain.ca.
Our operations manager or medical director would be pleased to discuss these with you in more detail.
Policy last updated May 26, 2020