Contract trainee dentist suspected of viewing 16 people's health records; suspended and referred to police
The Department of Health said a contract trainee dentist is suspected of using the school dental clinical system and eHealth to view the records of 16 people who were not his patients. It came to light when a member of the public queried an eHealth access notification. The department suspended the trainee, referred the case for criminal investigation, notified the Privacy Commissioner, the eHealth Records Commissioner and the Dental Council, and will review system security and training.
What it means for you
eHealth access notifications work as a safeguard; query any notice that looks wrong.
Editors' take: the background
eHealth, Hong Kong's electronic health record sharing system, lets healthcare providers you have given sharing consent to view your records when needed. Staff may only look for the purpose of caring for you; viewing without reason breaks the rules and may breach privacy law.
This case came to light because someone queried an access notification, which shows the alerts work. If you get one you don't recognise, ask eHealth straight away.
How to protect yourself
- Watch for eHealth access notifications
- Query any access you don't recognise
- Medical records are personal data protected by privacy law
Source: Sing Tao Headline (Department of Health)
This is a news summary written by our editors, not medical advice. Please refer to the original source and seek professional advice for your own situation.
Questions readers ask
I got an eHealth access alert from a provider I never saw. What now?
Contact eHealth to find out who accessed your record and when. If you think your privacy was breached, complain to the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data.
Can I stop a provider seeing my records?
Except for the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority, you can withdraw sharing consent for a particular provider at any time, via the eHealth app or hotline.
Send this to family before they get caught out
Traps like this spread fastest in family chats. One tap to pass the warning on.