Terrace Review — Wednesday, November 21, 1990 B13 Hospital staff reminded of medical record: secrecy by Harriett Fjaagesund “Confidentiality is everyone's responsibility” is this year’s ‘theme for. the nation-wide Health Information Awareness Week being held November 19 to 23, Teresa Ward, director of med- ical records at Mills Memorial Hospital, explains that the Can- adian Health Record Associa- tion, with the cooperation of the — provincial health record associa- tions, have set aside one week each year to promote awareness of the confidentiality of health information by all people who maintain, handle or use health information (written, verbal or in any other form). The Hollywood version of the thief sneaking into the hospital records department for nefar- ious purposes is far from the truth. Ward says security of - health information is taken very seriously. Each employee is required to sign.a pledge of confidentiality. All records are kept in a secured area that is not accessible to un-~ authorized individuals. All doors leading into the records are kept locked at all times. Ac- cess during dayshift is strictly limited; only one staff member holds the key into the depart- ment on all other shifts. Compu- ter codes are changed regularly {computers are used for word processing; information is stored on discs which must be inserted into the drive mech- anism before information can. be accessed. . Nor do medical records pass from Gne hospital to the next. If a patient is being transferred to another hopital, for example, in- formation vital to the case tra- vels with the patient, but an- other hospital cannot simply re- quest access to an individual’s medical record. Records can on- ly be released by signed consent of the patient or by an order of the court. . The same rule applies to other individuals who might benefit from unauthorized access - to medical ‘ information—officers Of the law, lawyers, insurance . companies, and people involved in legal ‘actions against the pa- tient..‘‘As health record profes- sionals, we are responsible to en- sure that patient confidentiality is well guarded and secured,” Ward says. ore meses n ana Teresa Ward: Security of health information is taken very seriously. Mills Memorial. Hospital will be organizing tours of the Health Record Department dur- ing the week to familiarize per- © sonnel with the role of the de- partment in the hospital. Now is the time to register. Are you ready far the pro- posed GST? If not, now is the time to register and prepare. Registration applies to anyone involved in a commercial enter- prise. This includes fishing, farming, professional services and many activities carried out Have you? by non-profit organizations. Revenue Canada is ready to assist you with information on: - mw How to register and the benefits of doing so mw What the GST means to your aperation @ Simplified accounting options and administrative procedures m Rebates of the Federal Sales Tax m Howto recover GST on business purchases m GST return and filing options Canada’s gst. It's good business to prepare now. Contact us today. Phone: 1 800 561-6990 Telecommunications device for the hearing impaired: 1 800 465-5770 Or drop by the Revenue Canada Excise Office nearest you, Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. sgt ww fog A re oe “sy fel ome. - Se Sues tetas at _ Canadii NORTHWEST "Did you — know... A public service feature by © the Skeena Health Unit FOR HEALTH By Mary Anne Waters, Public Health Nurse, Skeena Health’ Unit Did you know that AIDS is a disease which cause major concern for many people around the world, including British Columbians in the Northwest? By learning the facts about AIDS we can help to prevent it’s spread and avoid unnecessary anxiety. AIDS is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This virus attacks the immune system. The immune system is the body’s defense system against infections. AIDS is the most severe stage of HIV infection. The immune system is so weak that fatal in- fections and cancers appear. Some common diseases are Kaposi’s Sarcoma (a rare skin cancer), Pneumocystis Carinii Pheumonia (PCP) and brain infections. When HIV infection starts there may be no obvious symptoms. The person may appear healthy for months or even years. People with HIV may not know they have it. These people may be spreading the virus to others. There is a blood test available to detect antibodies to HIV. If the blood test shows antibodies to HIV, the person has been infected. It takes up to six months for the body to form enough antibodies to be detected on the blood test. Early on in a HIV infection, the person may have a negative antibody test, even though they are infected and infectious. How does a person become infected? The most common methods of spread are: Sexual activity with a HIV infected person; Sharing. hypodermic needles or syringes for injecting illicit drugs; and from -an infected mother.to her baby before and during birth. Far less common methods of spread include through transfusions of blood or blood products, accidental contact with infected blood or body fluids by health care workers, organ transplants, and sperm donations. Spread through these means is extremely rare because of donor screenings and universal precautions taken by health care workers. HIV is NOT spread by casual, everyday contact. ‘How can you protect yourself? Knowledge is your most impor- tani defense against AIDS! Other ways to:protect yourself-include. abstaining from sex or choosing one uninfected partner for life; practising safer sex by using latex rubber condoms; and avoiding . - sharing needles or syringes. To ask questions or arrange for confidential testing .in British | Columbia, contact any medical doctor, the Health Ministry’s AIDS | Testing Clinic in Vancouver (1-800-972-2437), or your Jocal. Health... Unit. What health issues of concerned to you? Write usati . : *‘Did You Know That...?” c/o Skeena Health Unit: 3412 Kalum Street Terrace, B.C.