Vancouver Island’s health authority is investigating a massive privacy breach that affects nearly 200 patients, CTV News has learned.
The breach occurred when two employees used access privileges to look at electronic health records of patients not in their care, according to Island Health.
The organization is in the process of notifying 198 patients of the breach.
The two employees in question have since been let go, the authority confirmed.
Island Health says it is “sincerely sorry” to its clients, patients and residents over the breach.
“Such actions are contradictory to our organizational values, policies and represent an exception to the practice of staff and physicians well-versed in maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive information,” it said in a statement.
Island Health would not confirm exactly when the breaches happened, but it did confirm they all happened in the City of Victoria.
A source tells CTV News the breach could have happened as early as January.
B.C.’s privacy watchdog is also investigating the incident.
Have you been affected by the privacy breach at Island Health? Get in touch with us at islandnews@ctv.ca.
