POLICY: Physicians Accessing Patient-Specific Information from the Pharmacy Information Program (PIP)

Preamble

The Pharmacy Information Program (PIP) has been developed with the primary purpose of improving patient care in Saskatchewan.  The PIP program provides Saskatchewan physicians access through a secure computer network to information about drugs dispensed to Saskatchewan patients in Saskatchewan pharmacies.  Access to information within the PIP program is provided to physicians to assist them to provide the best possible quality of medical care to their patients.  Access, using, or disseminating information from the PIP program, other than as permitted in this policy is improper conduct.

General Principles

Physicians must be able to justify the reason for accessing information through the PIP program.

Physicians should only access information through the PIP program when the information that the physician expects to obtain may reasonably affect the medical care provided to the patient.

Physicians should only access the minimum amount of information through the PIP program that is reasonably required for the purpose for which the information was accessed.

Only those persons who have a need to know the information should be permitted to access the information.

Physicians should only use the information from the PIP program for the purpose of providing medical care to their patient, or as is otherwise permitted by The Health Information Protection Act.

Physicians should only disclose the information from the PIP program for the purpose of providing medical care to their patient, with the consent of the patient, or as is otherwise permitted by The Health Information Protection Act.

Physicians should have appropriate policies and procedures in place to protect the information accessed through the PIP program from being seen by persons who are not authorized to see that information.

Physicians must comply with The Health Information Protection Act in connection with the information accessed through the PIP program.

Physicians should ensure that persons who the physician authorizes to access the information within the PIP program are aware of and understand their responsibilities.

Specific Requirements

Physicians will not permit any other person under their authority or control to access the information within the PIP database unless the following conditions are met:

• That person has been specifically authorized by the physician to access the PIP data base for a purpose for which the physician may access the information;
• That person has signed a confidentiality agreement in which that person has agreed, among other things, to access the information only on a need-to-know basis, and not to disclose the information to any other person except as permitted by The Health Information Protection Act.

Physicians must report to the PIP program, or such other person or organization as may be specified by the PIP program, all activities by any individual or entity that the physician reasonably suspects may compromise the confidentiality of confidential information or be a breach of this policy.

Approved by Council, June 2005
Amended by Council, September 2010
Approved by Council September 2015
To be Reviewed September 2020