Sault Area Hospital Data Breach (2003)

Dr. Douglas Brooks's certificate of registration suspended for 5 months, slapped with $5,000 fine, faces other conditions. A disciplinary committee found Dr. Brooks accessed medical records of two patients without their consent and without medical reason to do so. Brooks and his wife had a close personal connection to both patients. 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.