Program Description for PIP, PACS and SLRR

The eHealth Privacy Service, managed by eHealth Saskatchewan, a Saskatchewan Treasury Board Crown Corporation, offers services to Saskatchewan patients by providing information about and services for the privacy protections offered in programs such as the Pharmaceutical Information Program (PIP), Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), and the Saskatchewan Laboratory Results Repository (SLRR). Two important roles of the eHealth Privacy Service are:

• to provide patients, if they so choose, with the opportunity to mask or remove a mask on their personal health information for PIP, PACS and SLRR;
• to provide patients, if they so choose, with a report on who has viewed their personal health information in PIP, PACS and SLRR.

The Pharmaceutical Information Program, also known as PIP, contains information about prescribed and dispensed medications. This system is used by authorized health care professionals to make decisions about health care treatments for patients.

PIP provides patients with the option to globally mask medication information contained on this system. If masking is requested by a patient, all of the prescribing and dispensing medication information contained in this system will not be accessible by any user of the system unless:

• the patient has given express consent, either verbally or in writing - At any time, you may give a health care provider your consent to view masked information;
• in emergency circumstances where the patient is unable to provide consent - This would allow a health care provider to view your medication information in an emergency, such as if you are unconscious or unable to provide consent due to illness. The information could be life-saving in these circumstances;
• in such exceptional circumstances as where dangerous use of prescription drugs is suspected.

The Picture Archiving and Communication System, also known as PACS, contains diagnostic images and radiology reports. This system is used by the regional health authorities and authorized health care professionals to make decisions about health care treatments for patients.

PACS provides patients with the option to globally mask diagnostic imaging information contained on this system. If masking is requested by a patient, all of the diagnostic images and radiology reports contained in this system will not be accessible by any health care provider unless:

• the patient has given express consent, either verbally or in writing - At any time, you may give a health care provider your consent to view masked information;
• in an emergency situation where the patient is unable to provide consent - This would allow a health care provider to view your diagnostic imaging information in an emergency, such as if you are unconscious or unable to provide consent due to illness. The information could be life-saving in these circumstances;
• a radiologist or technologist requires access to report on or complete a procedure.

The Saskatchewan Laboratory Results Repository (SLRR) contains information on laboratory tests and results. This system is used by authorized health care professionals to make decisions about health care treatments for patients.

SLRR provides patients with the option to globally mask laboratory results contained in this system. If masking is requested by a patient, all of the laboratory results contained in this system will not be accessible by any health care provider unless:

• the patient has given express consent - At any time, you may give a health care provider your consent to view masked information;
• the patient is unable to provide consent in an emergency situation - This would allow a health care provider to view your laboratory result information in an emergency, such as if you are unconscious or unable to provide consent due to illness. The information could be life-saving in these circumstances;
• a health care provider needs to view the information to complete or confirm a previously provided health service - For example, in some cases the health care providers will need to confirm that the result is displayed properly;
• the patient's personal health information is required by law - For example, laboratory test results are subpoenaed or required under The Public Health Act.

eHealth Saskatchewan encourages you to carefully consider your decision to globally mask your personal health information in PIP, PACS or SLRR. eHealth Privacy Service is administering the privacy services on behalf of these health information trustees: PIP - Ministry of Health, PACS - Regional Health Authorities, SLRR - Ministry of Health and regional health authorities.

Should you wish to request a copy of your PIP, PACS or SLRR access report, or would like to mask or remove a mask on your profile in PIP, PACS or SLRR, please fill out the applicable form. The forms are available by calling or emailing the eHealth Privacy Service or at the bottom of this webpage.

If you have any further questions regarding PIP, PACS or SLRR, please call eHealth Privacy Service at 1-800-667-1672 or 787-8963 (in Regina) or send an email to privacyandaccess@ehealthsask.ca.