FREDERICTON - New Brunswick's ombudsman and British Columbia's information commissioner say their governments failed to protect the personal information of New Brunswick and B.C. residents when a courier lost tapes containing health information.
Billing and treatment information for 485 New Brunswickers and 133 British Columbians was lost in transit in early October when computer tape cartridges containing the information were sent by courier to Richmond, B.C.
The files, including patient names and medicare numbers, were being transferred from New Brunswick to British Columbia under a reciprocal billing agreement for residents of one province who use the health system of another.
The tapes have never been found, and the information was not protected by encryption.
New Brunswick Ombudsman Bernard Richard says the Health Department failed to ensure the information was protected, but says he is satisfied the department has taken proper steps to ensure it doesn't happen again.
He says the government has learned an important lesson and new privacy legislation being drafted should ensure such information is more secure in the future.
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Article online since May 7th 2008, 0:00
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