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Issue 47
SERVING THE ENERGY CITY SINCE 1903
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
www.estevanmercury.ca
Mailing No. 10769 | Publication No. 40069240
Details of breach released The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has released details on a breach that occurred last year, which affects home care patients in the Estevan area and spanned nearly a decade. According to an e-mail from the SHA sent to the Mercury last week, in May 2017, the former Sun Country Regional Health Authority (now part of the SHA) learned of a potential privacy breach by an employee with home care in Estevan that involved access to the electronic records of home care clients in Estevan and the surrounding area. Pat Stuart, the executive director for privacy and health information management services with the SHA, said an internal investigation was conducted, and concluded an employee had accessed personal health information in an electronic medical record system that was not needed in the performance of the employee’s work. The breach involved 880 clients in the period from June 2010 to May 2017. An investigation was able to identify all of the home care clients that were affected by the privacy breach, and individuals affected were sent notification letters. “While this breach did not affect the health care of the clients, the Saskatchewan Health Authority understands that this breach of privacy is a violation of the trust placed in us by our patients, long-term care residents and community clients,” said Stuart. “Strengthening patient confidentiality practices, including use of system audits, is a high priority for the Saskatchewan Health Authority.” As a result of the investigation, the following measures have been taken by the SHA: • Develop role-based permissions in the electronic medical record system
to ensure users have the minimum access required to perform their job duties; • Additional privacy education for all home care staff and resigning of the pledge of confidentiality annually; • Develop an audit and monitoring program for the electronic medical record system on a monthly basis; • The electronic medical record system automatic pop up display message was updated to reinforce the responsibility of users to protect client privacy and confidentiality, and only access clients’ personal health information based on a need to know. The pop up reminder is displayed every time a user logs on to the system. The user must accept the terms within the message box in order to continue into the system; • Improvement of staff education and training for the electronic medical record system including specific training on privacy and the need to know; • Continue to work on improving policy and procedures, including staff education and training for all staff in the area. “The internal investigation has been completed,” said Stuart. “The Office of the Saskatchewan Information and Privacy Commissioner is currently reviewing the results of that investigation.” It is not known how long the privacy commissioner’s review will last. The employee is not currently at work and does not have access to any electronic health records. Any disciplinary action would follow policies and the terms of the appropriate collective bargaining agreement. No further information on the status of the employee was available. Stuart stressed that the SHA is fully co-operating with the review.
Council votes against infrastructure fee increase credit By David Willberg dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca
A credit on the infrastructure fee increase will not be coming for those who have gone through the water main replacement program. Estevan city council made the decision at their meeting on Monday night. The infrastructure fee increase, from $20 to $30 per bimonthly billing cycle, had already been approved at the March 12 meeting, but council also asked city manager Jeff Ward and other members of the city’s administration to find a possible solution. The money raised by the infrastructure fee increase will be used for future water main replacements. The fee increase means the city would not have to use the local improvement program for water main replacements, saving the affected ratepayers thousands of dollars. In his report for Monday’s meeting, Ward said communities are moving away from the local improvement system. Residents who have had their water mains replaced since 2004 paid in full, or added the cost to their taxes for up to 10 years. The
Members of Estevan city council have decided not to extend a rebate or credit for the new infrastructure fee. File photo amounts paid have ranged from $6,000 to $15,000 per owner. Ward suggested a credit of $60 per year – equivalent to the amount of the infrastructure fee increase – to the customers who have had their water mains replaced. He estimated about 680 properties would be eligible for the credit. “These customers would not be charged the $10 being added to the utility infrastructure fee for a maximum period of 10 years,” said Ward. It would have meant a maximum yearly loss of revenue of $40,800.
But people would have to apply by Dec. 31 of this year to be eligible for the credit. Council members were sympathetic with the concerns of those who have gone through a water main replacement, and are now facing the infrastructure fee increase. Many of those residents have said council is doubledipping at their expense. But council members believe the solution brought forward by Ward would be a logistical and administrative challenge, and it would be too difficult to determine who would
receive the credit. Councillor Shelly Veroba said people who have gone through a water main replacement, and sold their house and left the community, wouldn’t get the rebate. “You have people who have sold their houses, maybe made some money back because they already did the work, and included that in the price,” said Veroba. “And maybe vice-versa. I actually talked to some people who actually sold their homes, and took less for their homes, because the new homeowner was going to be the one paying for it.” A2 » NOTIFICATION
Former mayor and MP Collins has died Bernie Collins, who served as a mayor, a member of Parliament and in other capacities in the community, has died at the age of 82. Collins was the mayor of Estevan from 1985 to 1988, and the member of Parliament for Souris-Moose Mountain from 1993 to 1997. He also had several terms as a councillor in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. His final term as councillor ended in 2003. Mayor Roy Ludwig made the announcement at Monday night’s meeting of Estevan city council. “I’ve had the pleasure of serving with him,” said Ludwig, who is the only current member of council remaining from Collins tenure. “He did a great job.” Ludwig has stated in the past that Collins was the one who motivated Ludwig to run for councillor back in 1994. “Bernie had a good sense of
humour,” said Ludwig. “It was a joy working with him.” Other members of council also passed on their condolences to Collins family during Monday night’s meeting. Collins worked as an educator, including a principal, in Estevan for many years, and was also part of many boards and committees in Estevan, ranging from sports to culture to healthcare. He was the last Liberal to serve as the member of Parliament in SourisMoose Mountain. Among the most notable aspects of his tenure came when he voted against the Canadian firearms registry, citing his constituents’ opposition to the bill. Among the nine Liberal MPs who voted against the registry, he was the only one defeated in the 1997 federal election. Last year the City of Estevan renamed Woodlawn Avenue South as Collins Road in his honour.
Former mayor and MP Bernie Collins, pictured on the left during the dedication for Collins Road, has died at the age of 82. File photo
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