Pasquale Turbide reports:
Officials at Sainte-Justine Hospital are working to resolve a privacy breach after a pediatrician leaked confidential documents to a media outlet before taking his own life.
According to Radio-Canada, Dr. Alain Sirard sent a USB key last December to Québécor that contained confidential documents, such as excerpts of medical files and reports from the Direction de la protection de la jeunesse (child protective services).
The USB key also allegedly contained summaries of investigations carried out by the Human Rights Commission following complaints filed against the pediatrician.
Read more on CBC.
If the media outlet also received a suicide note or some explanation as to why the doctor was disclosing the documents about the children, their families, and his own disciplinary hearings, I hope they either quote it or explain it. Was this an act of revenge on the physician’s part, or was he convinced these children had been abused and that the government had not done right by the children?
And if the USB drive was sent to Quebecor, who did not name the families, how did Radio-Canada know the names of eight families to contact about this breach? I’ve tweeted an inquiry to them about how they came into possession of information that was reportedly sent to Quebecor, and will update this if I get an answer.
But all in all, this report raises more questions than it answers. The only thing that’s clear is that yes, this was a privacy breach involving sensitive information, and a tragedy.
Sad story.