Today’s Ethics Spotlight – Faces of Ethics: Privacy Office

What does the Privacy Office do?

The Privacy Office ensures that information is collected, used, and disclosed appropriately, supporting staff with privacy-related questions, and helping to build a culture where respect for confidentiality is part of everyday practice.

The Privacy Officer’s role is to promote confidentiality and privacy, provide guidance on privacy policies, procedures and legislation, orient new staff and provide privacy training to all staff, conduct privacy audits and breach investigations and advise staff on matters of privacy, confidentiality and consent.

What ethical issues come up in your area?

Privacy often comes down to questions of trust — who needs to know what, and when? We think through situations like how much information can be shared to support patient care, how to balance openness with confidentiality, and what to do to ensure that technology maintains the security required for personal information and personal health information. It’s about ensuring that decisions around information are both legally sound and ethically thoughtful.

Ethics is everywhere. Thank you to our Privacy Office for helping keep ethics at the centre of care at TBRHSC.

Ethics Affects Us All. If you’re facing an ethical dilemma or have questions, reach out to the Bioethicist, or a member of the ethics committee for support.

Bioethicist: Michelle Allain – michelle.allain@tbh.net | 807-684-6538