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Protecting your Personal Health Information in the eHR Viewer

What is the Electronic Health Record Viewer?

The Electronic Health Record (eHR) Viewer is a secure, web-based system that allows your health care providers to see important health information about you. This may include, but is not limited to:

  • lab test results;
  • prescription information;
  • chronic disease information; and
  • immunization history.

Find more information on the eHR Viewer.

Who can see my personal health information?

Only health care team members involved in your care can view your information in the eHR Viewer. This may include physicians, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, and authorized staff who support your care. 

All users must complete an approval process through eHealth Saskatchewan (eHealth) and are trained to protect your privacy.

If you want to know who has viewed your information, you can request an audit report.

How safe and confidential is my personal health information?

eHealth is responsible for protecting your personal health information under The Health Information Protection Act (HIPA).
Strong safeguards are in place to protect your information when it is stored, accessed, or shared between systems.

 
Privacy safeguards include:
 
1. Accountability

Health care team members are informed of their privacy responsibilities and must agree to:

    • Keep your information confidential.
    • Use it only when needed to support your care.

 
2. Auditing

Every time someone views your record, it is tracked. This includes:

  • Who viewed the information?
  • The date and time
  • What information was viewed?

You can request a report showing who has accessed your eHR Viewer record by completing an audit request form.


3. Masking
What is Masking?
 
Masking allows individuals the opportunity to hide, or 'mask,' their personal health information from being viewed in the Pharmaceutical Information Program (PIP) and/or the eHR Viewer.

At any time, you may give a health care provider consent to view your masked record.

  • In PIP, this authorization can be time-limited, or indefinite.
  • In the eHR Viewer, this authorization can be for one day, one week, one month or one year.

To view a masked record, care providers must select a specific reason that allows temporary access such as:

  • In an emergency situation when you are unable to provide consent: This would allow a health care provider to view your record in an emergency, such as if you are unconscious or unable to provide consent due to illness. The information could be lifesaving in these circumstances.
  • Dangerous use of prescription drugs is suspected: A list of drugs has been developed in consultation with the regulatory bodies that license physicians, pharmacists, and other prescribers. Health care providers may need to see your information when considering prescribing or dispensing one of these drugs.
  • A health care provider needs to view the information to correct, verify, or complete information for a previously provided health service: For example, in order for some lab tests to be completed, a lab must have a test result that is performed elsewhere.
  • Your personal health information is required by law: For example, your health information is subpoenaed or required under The Public Health Act, 1994.

 
How do I add or remove masking from my profile?
 
To mask your profile, complete the eHS Request to Mask Profile Form and submit it to the eHealth Privacy Service. To remove masking, you will need to complete Request to Remove the Mask Form.
 
4. Full Block
What is a full block?
 
A full block applies to all of the individual's information within the eHR Viewer but does not apply to information stored outside this application.

This means under no circumstances would a health care provider be able to view your personal health information in the eHR Viewer.

One of these risks is that health care providers will not be able to access or view information available in the eHR Viewer. This may compromise the ability of health care providers to provide the individual with health care services. It could also result in a delay when receiving health care services, or the provision of inadequate or incomplete health care services.

How do I add or remove masking from my profile?

To request that your eHR Viewer profile be fully blocked, contact the eHealth Privacy Service. To remove a full block, you will need to complete the Request to Remove Full Block Form.
 
5.Security Measures
Additional security protections include:

  • Restricted access for authorized users only;
  • Secure computer systems and networks; and
  • Encrypted electronic messages.

 
Can a provider refuse care if my record is masked or fully blocked?

Yes. If a health care provider cannot safely recommend or provide treatment because they cannot see your health information, they may choose not to provide care. If your record is masked, you can give consent for a specific provider to view it. If your record is fully blocked, providers cannot access it at all.

What are Electronic Medical Records?

Electronic medical records (EMRs) contain personal health information gathered by a patient's health care provider. They are digital versions of paper charts commonly used in clinics and hospitals.

It includes patient history, allergies, visit notes and medication history. Nearly all Canadian family doctors store patient data in primary health care EMR systems.


What is EMR Interoperability?
EMR Interoperability is a service provided by eHealth Saskatchewan which allows for data from EMRs to flow into the eHR Viewer and enables notification of documentation from the eHR Viewer back into the EMRs.

The EMR Interoperability (EMRI) initiative will improve the flow of data to and from EMRs and other clinical systems such as eHR Viewer.

This helps health care providers see vital information about your care, even when you receive services in various places and supports continuity of care by enabling access to relevant patient information and notifications across care settings.


How is this done?
Patient data is entered during visits (encounters) by the care provider and in near real time, to be sent to the eHR Viewer. At the same time, if new information is sent to the viewer about specific health information (hospital discharges, for example), the care provider will be able to see this notification and view the information associated with it no matter where the patient presents for care.


Does masking affect information sharing in the EMR Interoperability?

Masking your information in one system does not automatically mask it in another.

  • Masking in an EMR does not mask information in the eHR Viewer and making in the eHR Viewer does not mask information in an EMR.
  • If your eHR Viewer record is masked, providers must access it through the eHR Viewer and select a permitted reason to view it.


What if I do not want my information shared to the eHR Viewer?

Health care providers can choose not to send visit information to the eHR Viewer. You can request that your provider not submit your visit information, but this request must be made for each visit.


What if I have a privacy concern or complaint?

If you have questions or concerns about your personal health information:

  • Speak with your health care provider; or
  • Contact the eHealth Privacy Service.

If your concern is not resolved, you may contact the Saskatchewan Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner, which oversees HIPA:


Contact Us
eHealth Privacy Service                                                  
1-855-EHS-LINK (347-5465)                                
privacyandaccess@ehealthsask.ca                               
www.ehealthsask.ca 
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