Alberta Health Breach Notification Provisions To Come Into Force August 31, 2018

Duty to Notify

The Alberta Health Information Act (the "Act") has been amended by adding section 60.1 to the Act (duty to notify) which requires health custodians in Alberta to notify Albertans whose health information is subject to a privacy breach. In particular, the amendments require the health custodian, where there is a risk of harm to an individual in each case, to:

• notify an individual affected by such a privacy breach;
• notify the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta ("Privacy Commissioner") of such a privacy breach; and
• notify the Minister of Health in Alberta ("Minister") of such a privacy breach

Among those who are health custodians in Alberta are Alberta Health Services, Alberta Health, Covenant Health, various health professionals regulated under the Health Information Act including physicians, dentists, optometrists, pharmacists, etc.