The health-care system uses information technology to link the computer systems of two or more “custodians” to permit personal health information to be shared in order to facilitate patient care and to improve the planning and management of the health-care system. This is referred to as an information network.
Personal health information may only be collected with the consent of the individual or as authorized by law. Under the law, the Minister of Health can authorize the collection of personal health information without consent, in the context of an information network. The Minister does this by “designating” the information network and making that designation publically available.
Even where the right to consent is removed, the individual’s right to know that their information is being collected and how it is being used, remains. Therefore, as information networks are designated under the legislation, information about these networks (including their purpose, nature, sources of information collected and used, and conditions under which access is provided) are posted here.