PHIPA Interview Questions and Answers

Ques 1. Explain the key principles of PHIPA.

PHIPA emphasizes consent, purpose of collection, limited use and disclosure, safeguards, open communication, and individual access to their health information.

Ques 2. What is the role of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) in PHIPA?

The IPC oversees compliance with PHIPA, investigates complaints, and promotes awareness of privacy rights.

Ques 3. What are the obligations of healthcare providers under PHIPA?

Healthcare providers must obtain consent, protect health information, and only use or disclose it for purposes allowed by law.

Ques 4. Explain the concept of 'circle of care' under PHIPA.

It allows healthcare providers involved in a patient's care to share information within a defined circle without explicit consent for each disclosure.

Ques 5. How does PHIPA address the storage and transmission of electronic health records?

PHIPA mandates safeguards to protect electronic health records during storage and transmission, ensuring their confidentiality and integrity.

Ques 6. Explain the concept of 'de-identification' under PHIPA.

De-identification involves removing or modifying personal health information so that it no longer identifies an individual, reducing the risk of privacy breaches.

Example:

An example of de-identification is removing names and unique identifiers from health records before analysis.

Ques 7. How does PHIPA address the use of personal health information for research purposes?

PHIPA allows the use of personal health information for research with appropriate safeguards and often requires research ethics board approval.

Ques 8. What steps should organizations take to ensure employee awareness and compliance with PHIPA?

Organizations should provide training, establish policies and procedures, and regularly communicate with employees about privacy obligations.

Ques 9. What is the role of a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) under PHIPA?

A PIA assesses the potential privacy risks of new projects or systems involving personal health information, helping organizations identify and mitigate risks.

Ques 10. Explain the difference between express and implied consent under PHIPA.

Express consent is given explicitly, while implied consent is inferred based on the circumstances. Both forms of consent are valid under PHIPA, depending on the situation.