Group Health Centre Data Breach (2005)

A finding of misconduct has been made against a local doctor by the Discipline Committee of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. Dr. Douglas Brooks, who maintains a family practice at the Group Health Centre, was found by the committee to have breached the privacy of two patients, referred in the decision as Patient A and Patient B. Brooks and his wife had a close personal connection to both patients, as stated in the finding from yesterday's hearing, but a publication ban has been placed on disclosing any information that may identify them. The disciplinary committee found Brooks had accessed the medical records of Patient A at the Group Health Centre on six occasions between 2005 and 2014, and eight times from the hospital between 2011 and 2014. Patient A suffered from mental health and addictions issues and committed suicide in 2014, after which relatives of Patient A requested audit reports of access to medical records for both patients from both the Group Health Centre and Sault Area Hospital. Brooks had hospital privileges and also works as an investigative coroner. Patient B's medical records were accessed by Brooks on eight dates between 2003 and 2006, as stated in the decision. The committee found the records of both patients were accessed without patient consent and without medical reason. In 2003, Brooks signed a confidentiality agreement with the Sault Area Hospital, agreeing it would be a breach of confidentiality to access those records except when legally authorized to do so.