Media stories for December 6, 2012

VCH employee fired after snooping into media personalities’ records
Vancouver Sun
That a staff member would breach a patient’s right to privacy is extremely disappointing and violates the confidentiality agreement that must be signed by each of our employees, said Vancouver Coastal Health president David Ostrow in a news release.

Health authority fires employee who snooped on local media personalities
Globe and Mail
VCH has fired an employee who inappropriately accessed the electronic health records of five local media personalities. The privacy breach was discovered during a routine audit of patient file access by VCH’s privacy office in late November. Spokesperson Clay Adams is interviewed.

VCH health records of local media personalities compromised
News 1130
Employee involved has been fired.

Worker fired for snooping on medical records of media folks
CKNW 980
The now-fired employee seemed to have a personal interest in the media types and didn’t share the information verbally or in writing with anyone else. Coastal Health President and CEO Dr. David Ostrow apologizes for the violation of trust, and says the breach is “extremely disappointing”.

Orphaned patient numbers rise
Powell River Peak
With the recent departure of two of Powell River’s doctors, more pressure is being put on an already taxed medical community which is trying to meet the demand with fewer family physicians. VCH spokesperson Anna Marie D’Angelo is quoted.