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HEALTH INFORMATION ACT - PDF
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1 Province of Alberta HEALTH INFORMATION ACT Revised Statutes of Alberta 2000 With amendments in force as of May 16, 2003 Office Consolidation Published by Alberta Queen s Printer Queen s Printer Bookstore Main Floor, Park Plaza Avenue Edmonton, AB T5K 2P7 (780) Fax (780) Shop on-line at
2 Note All persons making use of this consolidation are reminded that it has no legislative sanction, that the amendments have been embodied for convenience of reference only, and that the original Acts should be consulted for all purposes of interpreting and applying the law. Amendments not in Force This consolidation incorporates only those amendments in force on the consolidation date shown on the cover. It does not include the following amendments: Awaiting Proclamation: RSA 2000 cp-13 s47.1 amends s1. Regulations The following is a list of the regulations made under the Health Information Act that are filed as Alberta Regulations under the Regulations Act Alta. Reg. Amendments Health Information Act Designation 69/2001 Health Information 70/ /2001
3 HEALTH INFORMATION ACT Table of Contents Part 1 Introductory Matters 1 Interpretation 2 Purposes of Act 3 Scope of Act 4 Inconsistency or conflict with another enactment 5 Application of Parts of Act 6 Act binds custodian acting under another enactment Part 2 Individual s Right to Access Individual s Health Information 7 Right of individual to access individual s health information 8 How to make a request 9 Abandoned request 10 Duty to assist applicants 11 Right to refuse access to health information 12 Time limit for responding to a request for access 13 Correction or amendment of health information 14 Refusal to correct or amend information 15 Extending time 16 Request under s8 or s13 deemed to be a request under FOIP 17 Existing procedures still available Part 3 Collection of Health Information 18 Prohibition re collection of health information 19 Collection of non-identifying health information 20 Collection of individually identifying health information
4 HEALTH INFORMATION ACT RSA Collection of personal health number 22 Duty to collect health information from subject individual 23 Use of recording device or camera 24 Collection of health information by affiliate Part 4 Use of Health Information 25 Prohibition re use of health information 26 Use of non-identifying health information 27 Use of individually identifying health information 28 Use of health information by affiliate 29 Confidentiality of non-recorded information 30 Use of personal health number by non-custodian Part 5 Disclosure of Health Information Division 1 General Disclosure Rules 31 Prohibition re disclosure of health information 32 Disclosure of non-identifying health information 33 Disclosure of information to individual who is subject of information 34 Disclosure of individually identifying health information to be with consent 35 Disclosure of diagnostic, treatment and care information 36 Disclosure of registration information 37 Disclosure of health services provider information 38 Disclosure for purpose of storage 39 Disclosure by Minister and Department 40 Disclosure to Minister 41 Maintaining certain disclosure information 42 Notification of purpose of and authority for disclosure 43 Disclosure of health information by affiliate 44 Confidentiality of non-recorded information 45 Duty of custodian Division 2 Disclosure for Health System Purposes 46 Disclosure to Minister or Department 47 Disclosure to other custodians 2
5 HEALTH INFORMATION ACT RSA 2000 Division 3 Disclosure for Research Purposes 48 Definition 49 Research proposal 50 Role of ethics committee 51 Bar to research 52 Application for disclosure of health information 53 Conditions and consents 54 Agreement between custodian and researcher 55 Consent for additional information 56 Court order Part 6 Duties and Powers of Custodians Relating to Health Information Division 1 General Duties and Powers 57 Duty to collect, use or disclose health information with highest degree of anonymity possible 58 Duty to collect, use or disclose health information in a limited manner 60 Duty to protect health information 61 Duty to ensure accuracy of health information 62 Duty to identify responsible affiliates 63 Duty to establish or adopt policies and procedures 64 Duty to prepare privacy impact assessment 65 Power to transform health information 66 Power to enter agreement with information manager 67 Power to charge fees Division 2 Data Matching 68 Prohibition 69 Data matching by custodian 70 Data matching by custodians 71 Data matching by custodian and non-custodian 72 Data matching for research 3
6 HEALTH INFORMATION ACT RSA 2000 Part 7 Commissioner Division 1 Reviews by Commissioner 73 Right to ask for a review 74 How to ask for a review 75 Notifying others of review 76 Mediation may be authorized 77 Inquiry by Commissioner 78 Refusal to conduct inquiry 79 Burden of proof 80 Commissioner s orders 81 No appeal 82 Duty to comply with order Division 2 Disclosure to Commissioner 83 Disclosure to Commissioner Division 3 Additional Powers and Duties of Commissioner 84 General powers of Commissioner 85 Power to resolve complaints 86 Advice and recommendations 87 Power to authorize a custodian to disregard requests 88 Powers of Commissioner in conducting investigations or inquiries 89 Statements made to Commissioner not admissible in evidence 90 Privileged information 91 Restrictions on disclosure of information by Commissioner and staff 92 Immunity from suit 93 Delegation by Commissioner 94 Role of Ombudsman 95 Annual report of Commissioner Division 4 Conflict of Interest of Commissioner 96 Adjudicator 97 Powers, duties and functions of adjudicator 98 Review where Commissioner in conflict 99 How to ask for a review 4
7 Section 1 HEALTH INFORMATION ACT 100 Notifying others of review 101 Conduct and outcome of review Part 8 General Provisions 102 Oaths 103 Manner of giving notice 104 Exercise of rights by other persons 105 Immunity from suit 106 Protection of employee 107 Offences and penalties 108 Regulations 109 Review of Act Part 9 Consequential Amendments, Paramountcy and Coming into Force Consequential amendments 125 Coming into force HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, enacts as follows: Interpretation 1(1) In this Act, Part 1 Introductory Matters (a) affiliate, in relation to a custodian, includes (i) an individual employed by the custodian, (ii) a person who performs a service for the custodian as an appointee, volunteer or student or under a contract or agency relationship with the custodian, and (iii) a health services provider who has the right to admit and treat patients at a hospital as defined in the Hospitals Act, but does not include (iv) an operator as defined in the Ambulance Services Act, or 5
8 Section 1 HEALTH INFORMATION ACT (v) an agent as defined in the Health Insurance Premiums Act; (b) applicant means an individual who makes a request for access to a record under section 8(1) or for a correction or amendment of health information under section 13(1); (c) audit means a financial, clinical or other formal or systematic examination or review of a program, portion of a program or activity; (d) collect means to gather, acquire, receive or obtain health information; (e) Commissioner means the Information and Privacy Commissioner appointed under Part 4 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act; (f) custodian means (i) the board of an approved hospital as defined in the Hospitals Act other than an approved hospital that is (A) owned and operated by a regional health authority established under the Regional Health Authorities Act, or (B) established and operated by the Alberta Cancer Board continued under the Cancer Programs Act; (ii) the operator of a nursing home as defined in the Nursing Homes Act other than a nursing home that is owned and operated by a regional health authority established under the Regional Health Authorities Act; (iii) a provincial health board established pursuant to regulations made under section 18(1)(a) of the Regional Health Authorities Act; (iv) a regional health authority established under the Regional Health Authorities Act; (v) a community health council as defined in the Regional Health Authorities Act; (vi) a subsidiary health corporation as defined in the Regional Health Authorities Act; (vii) the Alberta Cancer Board continued under the Cancer Programs Act; 6
9 Section 1 HEALTH INFORMATION ACT (viii) a board, council, committee, commission, panel or agency that is created by a custodian referred to in subclauses (i) to (vii), if all or a majority of its members are appointed by, or on behalf of, that custodian, but does not include a committee that has as its primary purpose the carrying out of quality assurance activities within the meaning of section 9 of the Alberta Evidence Act; (ix) a health services provider who is paid under the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan to provide health services; (x) a licensed pharmacy as defined in the Pharmaceutical Profession Act; (xi) a pharmacist as defined in the Pharmaceutical Profession Act; (xii) the Department; (xiii) the Minister; (xiv) an individual or board, council, committee, commission, panel, agency or corporation designated in the regulations as a custodian; but does not include (xv) the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission continued under the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Act, or (xvi) a Community Board or a Facility Board, as those terms are defined in the Persons with Developmental Disabilities Community Governance Act; (g) data matching means the creation of individually identifying health information by combining individually identifying or non-identifying health information or other information from 2 or more electronic databases, without the consent of the individuals who are the subjects of the information; (h) Department means the Department administered by the Minister; (i) diagnostic, treatment and care information means information about any of the following: (i) the physical and mental health of an individual; (ii) a health service provided to an individual; 7
10 Section 1 HEALTH INFORMATION ACT (iii) the donation by an individual of a body part or bodily substance, including information derived from the testing or examination of a body part or bodily substance; (iv) a drug as defined in the Pharmaceutical Profession Act provided to an individual; (v) a health care aid, device, product, equipment or other item provided to an individual pursuant to a prescription or other authorization; (vi) the amount of any benefit paid or payable under the Alberta Health Care Insurance Act or any other amount paid or payable in respect of a health service provided to an individual, and includes any other information about an individual that is collected when a health service is provided to the individual, but does not include information that is not written, photographed, recorded or stored in some manner in a record; (j) ethics committee means a committee designated by the regulations as an ethics committee; (k) health information means any or all of the following: (i) diagnostic, treatment and care information; (ii) health services provider information; (iii) registration information; (l) health professional body means a body that regulates the members of a health profession or health discipline pursuant to an Act; (m) health service means a service that is provided to an individual (i) for any of the following purposes and is directly or indirectly and fully or partially paid for by the Department: (A) protecting, promoting or maintaining physical and mental health; (B) preventing illness; (C) diagnosing and treating illness; 8
11 Section 1 HEALTH INFORMATION ACT or (D) rehabilitation; (E) caring for the health needs of the ill, disabled, injured or dying, (ii) by a pharmacist engaging in the practice of pharmacy as defined in the Pharmaceutical Profession Act regardless of how the service is paid for, but does not include a service that is provided to an individual (iii) by an ambulance attendant as defined in the Ambulance Services Act, (iv) by the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission continued under the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Act, or (v) by a Community Board or a Facility Board, as those terms are defined in the Persons with Developmental Disabilities Community Governance Act; (n) health services provider means an individual who provides health services; (o) health services provider information means the following information relating to a health services provider: (i) name; (ii) business and home mailing addresses and electronic addresses; (iii) business and home telephone numbers and facsimile numbers; (iv) gender; (v) date of birth; (vi) unique identification number that (A) is assigned to the health services provider by a custodian for the purpose of the operations of the custodian, and (B) uniquely identifies the health services provider in relation to that custodian; 9
12 Section 1 HEALTH INFORMATION ACT (vii) type of health services provider and licence number, if a licence has been issued to the health services provider; (viii) date on which the health services provider became authorized to provide health services and the date, if any, on which the health services provider ceased to be authorized to provide health services; (ix) education completed, including entry level competencies attained in a basic education program and post-secondary educational degrees, diplomas or certificates completed; (x) continued competencies, skills and accreditations, including any specialty or advanced training acquired after completion of the education referred to in subclause (ix), and the dates they were acquired; (xi) restrictions that apply to the health services provider s right to provide health services in Alberta; (xii) decisions of a health professional body, or any other body at an appeal of a decision of a health professional body, pursuant to which the health services provider s right to provide health services in Alberta is suspended or cancelled or made subject to conditions, or a reprimand or fine is issued; (xiii) business arrangements relating to the payment of the health services provider s accounts; (xiv) profession; (xv) job classification; (xvi) employment status; (xvii) number of years the health services provider has practised the profession; (xviii) employer; (xix) municipality in which the health services provider s practice is located, but does not include information that is not written, photographed, recorded or stored in some manner in a record; (p) individually identifying, when used to describe health information, means that the identity of the individual who 10
13 Section 1 HEALTH INFORMATION ACT is the subject of the information can be readily ascertained from the information; (q) Minister means the Minister determined under section 16 of the Government Organization Act as the Minister responsible for this Act; (r) non-identifying, when used to describe health information, means that the identity of the individual who is the subject of the information cannot be readily ascertained from the information; (s) personal health number means the number assigned to an individual by the Department to uniquely identify the individual; (t) record means a record of health information in any form and includes notes, images, audiovisual recordings, x-rays, books, documents, maps, drawings, photographs, letters, vouchers and papers and any other information that is written, photographed, recorded or stored in any manner, but does not include software or any mechanism that produces records; (u) registration information means information relating to an individual that falls within the following general categories and is more specifically described in the regulations: (i) demographic information, including the individual s personal health number; (ii) location information; (iii) telecommunications information; (iv) residency information; (v) health service eligibility information; (vi) billing information, but does not include information that is not written, photographed, recorded or stored in some manner in a record; (v) research means academic, applied or scientific health-related research that necessitates the use of individually identifying diagnostic, treatment and care information or individually identifying registration information, or both; 11
14 Section 2 HEALTH INFORMATION ACT (w) use means to apply health information for a purpose and includes reproducing the information, but does not include disclosing the information. (2) Where a custodian provides services that are not health services, this Act does not apply (a) to the custodian in respect of those other services, or (b) to information relating to those other services ch-4.8 s1 Purposes of Act 2 The purposes of this Act are (a) to establish strong and effective mechanisms to protect the privacy of individuals with respect to their health information and to protect the confidentiality of that information, (b) to enable health information to be shared and accessed, where appropriate, to provide health services and to manage the health system, (c) to prescribe rules for the collection, use and disclosure of health information, which are to be carried out in the most limited manner and with the highest degree of anonymity that is possible in the circumstances, (d) to provide individuals with a right of access to health information about themselves, subject to limited and specific exceptions as set out in this Act, (e) to provide individuals with a right to request correction or amendment of health information about themselves, (f) to establish strong and effective remedies for contraventions of this Act, and (g) to provide for independent reviews of decisions made by custodians under this Act and the resolution of complaints under this Act ch-4.8 s2 Scope of Act 3 This Act (a) does not limit the information otherwise available by law to a party to legal proceedings, 12
15 Section 4 HEALTH INFORMATION ACT (b) does not affect the power of any court or tribunal to compel a witness to testify or to compel the production of documents, and (c) does not prohibit the transfer, storage or destruction of a record in accordance with an enactment of Alberta or Canada ch-4.8 s3 Inconsistency or conflict with another enactment 4 If a provision of this Act is inconsistent or in conflict with a provision of another Act or of a regulation, the provision of this Act prevails unless (a) another Act, or (b) a regulation under this Act expressly provides that the other Act or regulation, or a provision of it, prevails despite this Act ch-4.8 s4 Application of Parts of Act 5(1) This Act, except Part 3, applies in respect of health information collected before or after the coming into force of this Act. (2) Part 3 of this Act applies only in respect of health information collected after the coming into force of this Act ch-4.8 s5 Act binds custodian acting under another enactment 6 A custodian that collects, uses or discloses health information pursuant to another enactment must comply with this Act ch-4.8 s6 Part 2 Individual s Right to Access Individual s Health Information Right of individual to access individual s health information 7(1) An individual has a right of access to any record containing health information about the individual that is in the custody or under the control of a custodian. (2) The right of access to a record does not extend to information in respect of which a custodian is authorized or required to refuse 13
16 Section 8 HEALTH INFORMATION ACT access under section 11, but if that information can reasonably be severed from a record, an individual has a right of access to the remainder of the record. (3) The right of access to a record is subject to the payment of any fee required by the regulations ch-4.8 s7 How to make a request 8(1) To obtain access to a record, an individual must make a request to the custodian that the individual believes has custody or control of the record. (2) A custodian that has received a request for access to a record under subsection (1) may require the applicant to submit the request in writing. (3) In a request, the applicant may ask (a) for a copy of the record, or (b) to examine the record ch-4.8 s8 Abandoned request 9(1) Where a custodian contacts an applicant in writing respecting the applicant s request, including (a) seeking further information from the applicant that is necessary to process the request, or (b) requesting the applicant to pay a fee or to agree to pay a fee, and the applicant fails to respond to the custodian, as requested by the custodian, within 30 days after being contacted, the custodian may, by notice in writing to the applicant, declare the request abandoned. (2) A notice declaring a request abandoned must state that the applicant may ask for a review of that decision by the Commissioner ch-4.8 s9 Duty to assist applicants 10 A custodian that has received a request for access to a record under section 8(1) 14
17 Section 11 HEALTH INFORMATION ACT (a) must make every reasonable effort to assist the applicant and to respond to each applicant openly, accurately and completely, (b) must create a record for an applicant if and (i) the record can be created from information that is in electronic form and is in the custody or under the control of the custodian, using its normal computer hardware and software and technical expertise, and (ii) creating the record would not unreasonably interfere with the operations of the custodian, (c) must provide, at the request of an applicant and if reasonably practicable, an explanation of any term, code or abbreviation used in the record ch-4.8 s10 Right to refuse access to health information 11(1) A custodian may refuse to disclose health information to an applicant (a) if the disclosure could reasonably be expected (i) to result in immediate and grave harm to the applicant s mental or physical health or safety, (ii) to threaten the mental or physical health or safety of another individual, or (iii) to pose a threat to public safety, (b) if the disclosure could reasonably lead to the identification of a person who provided health information to the custodian explicitly or implicitly in confidence and in circumstances in which it was appropriate that the name of the person who provided the information be kept confidential, (c) if the disclosure could reasonably be expected to reveal (i) advice, proposals, recommendations, analyses or policy options developed by or for a member of the Executive Council, or (ii) consultations or deliberations involving a member of the Executive Council or the member s staff, 15
18 Section 11 HEALTH INFORMATION ACT (d) if the disclosure could reasonably be expected to reveal advice, proposals, recommendations, analyses or policy options developed by or for a custodian referred to in section 1(1)(f)(iii), (iv) or (vii), or (e) if the information relates to (i) procedures or techniques relating to audits to be conducted or diagnostic tests or assessments to be given, (ii) details of specific audits to be conducted or of specific tests or assessments to be given, or (iii) standardized diagnostic tests or assessments used by a custodian, including intelligence tests, and disclosure of the information could reasonably be expected to prejudice the use or results of particular audits, diagnostic tests or assessments. (2) A custodian must refuse to disclose health information to an applicant (a) if the health information is about an individual other than the applicant, unless the health information was originally provided by the applicant in the context of a health service being provided to the applicant, (b) if the health information sets out procedures or contains results of an investigation, a discipline proceeding, a practice review or an inspection relating to a health services provider, (c) if the health information would reveal the substance of deliberations of the Executive Council or any of its committees or of the Treasury Board or any of its committees, including any advice, recommendation, policy considerations or draft legislation or regulations submitted or prepared for submission to the Executive Council or any of its committees or to the Treasury Board or any of its committees, unless the health information (i) has been in existence for 15 years or more, (ii) is part of a record of a decision made by the Executive Council or any of its committees on an appeal under an Act, or (iii) is part of a record the purpose of which is to present background facts to the Executive Council or any of 16
19 Section 12 HEALTH INFORMATION ACT or its committees or to the Treasury Board or any of its committees for consideration in making a decision where (A) the decision has been made public, (B) the decision has been implemented, or (C) 5 years or more have passed since the decision was made or considered, (d) if the disclosure is prohibited by another enactment of Alberta ch-4.8 s11 Time limit for responding to a request for access 12(1) A custodian must make every reasonable effort to respond to a request under section 8(1) within 30 days after receiving the request or within any extended period under section 15. (2) In a response under subsection (1), the custodian must tell the applicant (a) whether access to a record or part of it is granted or refused, (b) if access to the record or part of it is granted, where, when and how access will be given, and (c) if access to the record or part of it is refused, (i) the reasons for the refusal and the provision of this Act on which the refusal is based, (ii) the name, title, business address and business telephone number of an affiliate of the custodian who can answer the applicant s questions about the refusal, and (iii) that the applicant may ask for a review of that decision by the Commissioner. (3) The failure of the custodian to respond to a request under section 8(1) within the 30-day period or any extended period referred to in subsection (1) is to be treated as a decision to refuse access to the record ch-4.8 s12 17
20 Section 13 HEALTH INFORMATION ACT Correction or amendment of health information 13(1) An individual who believes there is an error or omission in the individual s health information may in writing request the custodian that has the information in its custody or under its control to correct or amend the information. (2) Within 30 days after receiving a request under subsection (1) or within any extended period under section 15, the custodian must decide whether it will make or refuse to make the correction or amendment. (3) If the custodian agrees to make the correction or amendment, the custodian must within the 30-day period or any extended period referred to in subsection (2) (a) make the correction or amendment, (b) give written notice to the applicant that the correction or amendment has been made, and (c) notify any person to whom that information has been disclosed during the one-year period before the correction or amendment was requested that the correction or amendment has been made. (4) The custodian is not required to provide the notification referred to in subsection (3)(c) where (a) the custodian agrees to make the correction or amendment but believes that the applicant will not be harmed if the notification under subsection (3)(c) is not provided, and (b) the applicant agrees. (5) If the custodian refuses to make the correction or amendment, the custodian must within the 30-day period or any extended period referred to in subsection (2) give written notice to the applicant that the custodian refuses to make the correction or amendment and of the reasons for the refusal. (6) A custodian may refuse to make a correction or amendment that has been requested in respect of (a) a professional opinion or observation made by a health services provider about the applicant, or (b) a record that was not originally created by that custodian. (7) The failure of the custodian to respond to a request in accordance with this section within the 30-day period or any 18
21 Section 14 HEALTH INFORMATION ACT extended period referred to in subsection (2) is to be treated as a decision to refuse to make the correction or amendment ch-4.8 s13 Refusal to correct or amend information 14(1) Where a custodian refuses to make a correction or amendment under section 13, the custodian must tell the applicant that the applicant may elect to do either of the following, but may not elect both: (a) ask for a review of the custodian s decision by the Commissioner; (b) submit a statement of disagreement setting out in 500 words or less the requested correction or amendment and the applicant s reasons for disagreeing with the decision of the custodian. (2) An applicant who elects to submit a statement of disagreement must submit the statement to the custodian within 30 days after the written notice of refusal has been given to the applicant under section 13(5) or within any extended period under section 15(3). (3) On receiving the statement of disagreement, the custodian must (a) if reasonably practicable, attach the statement to the record that is the subject of the requested correction or amendment, and (b) provide a copy of the statement of disagreement to any person to whom the custodian has disclosed the record in the year preceding the applicant s request for the correction or amendment ch-4.8 s14 Extending time 15(1) The custodian may extend the time for responding to a request under section 8(1) or 13(1) for an additional period of up to 30 days or, with the Commissioner s permission, for a longer period if (a) the request does not give enough detail to enable the custodian to identify the record that is requested or to be corrected or amended, (b) a large number of records are involved in the request and responding within the period set out in section 12(1) or 13(2), as the case may be, would unreasonably interfere with the operations of the custodian, or 19