A Windsor Doctor and Clinic Fined for Privacy Breaches
The information and privacy commissioner of Ontario has recently issued fines to a Windsor doctor and his private clinic for violating privacy regulations, serving as a cautionary tale for other healthcare establishments.
Commissioner Patricia Kosseim’s decision revealed that the doctor misused his electronic health record access at Windsor Regional Hospital to target parents of newborn boys, offering circumcision services at his clinic. Dr. Omar Afandi, who partly owns the clinic, admitted to his actions and expressed regret. Despite his remorse, Kosseim deemed the breach significant, imposing a $5,000 penalty on him under Ontario’s personal health information law.
Additionally, the WE Kidz Pediatrics clinic, where the circumcisions were offered, was found to lack a privacy management program, leading to a fine of $7,500. In response, the clinic has committed to enhancing its internal privacy protocols to comply with existing regulations.
This incident marks the first instance of administrative monetary penalties being enforced by a privacy commissioner in Canada. Kosseim exercised new powers granted to her office last year to hold the doctor and clinic accountable for their privacy breaches.