Putting patient trust at the centre of virtual health | La confiance des patients au cœur de la santé virtuelle

Info Matters

Dr. Duncan Rozario is chief of surgery at the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital in Oakville, Ontario. He also runs a busy outpatient practice at the North Oakville Medical Centre where he uses sophisticated digital tools to provide virtual care to his patients.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Forging relationships with patients [2:34]
• The key role of communication in health care [3:55]
• Combining the calling of medicine with a deep interest in technology [5:05]
• Trends in the adoption of technology by physicians in Ontario [6:10]
• Patient experience as a driver for offering virtual health care [7:09]
• Providing options to patients [9:45]
• The pitfalls of sending sensitive information by unsecured email [10:35]
• Using patient portals and secure messaging systems [13:10]
• Adding a visual dimension with images and videoconferencing [15:04]
• Tailoring the communication channel to the situation, the provider, and the patient [17:00]
• Patient uptake and response [18:10]
• Onboarding patients [19:58]
• Protecting information and choosing a verified virtual visit solution [21:05]
• Communications between health care providers, retiring the fax machine [23:35]
• Next steps toward an integrated and secure system for personal health information in Ontario [27:45]
• Enhancing trust in digital health care [30:40]

Resources:

• Trust in digital health: IPC strategic priorities 2021-2025 (IPC strategic plan)
• Privacy and security considerations for virtual health care visits (IPC guidelines)
• Digital health under PHIPA: Selected overview (IPC guide)
• Communicating personal health information by email (IPC fact sheet)
• Reporting health privacy breaches to the IPC (IPC webinar)
• As in life, the only constant in health care is change (Commissioner’s blog)
• Providing virtual healthcare, maintaining real patient trust (Commissioner’s blog)
• Verified virtual visit solutions for providers (Ontario Telemedicine Network, now part of Ontario Health)

Info Matters is a podcast about people, privacy, and access to information hosted by Patricia Kosseim, Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario. We dive into conversations with people from all walks of life and hear stories about the access and privacy issues that matter most to them.

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