Putting patient trust at the centre of virtual health

Dr. Duncan Rozario is chief of surgery at the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital in Oakville, Ontario. He also runs a busy outpatient practice at the North Oakville Medical Centre where he uses sophisticated digital tools to provide virtual care to his patients.

Topics discussed in this episode: 

Forging relationships with patients [2:34]The key role of communication in health care [3:55]Combining the calling of medicine with a deep interest in technology [5:05]Trends in the adoption of technology by physicians in Ontario [6:10]Patient experience as a driver for offering virtual health care [7:09]Providing options to patients [9:45]The pitfalls of sending sensitive information by unsecured email [10:35]Using patient portals and secure messaging systems [13:10]Adding a visual dimension with images and videoconferencing [15:04]Tailoring the communication channel to the situation, the provider, and the patient [17:00]Patient uptake and response [18:10]Onboarding patients [19:58]Protecting information and choosing a verified virtual visit solution [21:05]Communications between health care providers, retiring the fax machine [23:35]Next steps toward an integrated and secure system for personal health information in Ontario [27:45]Enhancing trust in digital health care [30:40]

Resources:

Trust in digital health: IPC strategic priorities 2021-2025 (IPC strategic plan)Privacy and security considerations for virtual health care visits (IPC guidelines)Digital health under PHIPA: Selected overview (IPC guide)Communicating personal health information by email (IPC fact sheet)Reporting health privacy breaches to the IPC (IPC webinar)As in life, the only constant in health care is change (Commissioner’s blog)Providing virtual healthcare, maintaining real patient trust (Commissioner’s blog)Verified virtual visit solutions for providers (Ontario Telemedicine Network, now part of Ontario Health) 

Info Matters is a podcast about people, privacy, and access to information hosted by Patricia Kosseim, Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario. We dive into conversations with people from all walks of life and hear stories about the access and privacy issues that matter most to them. 

If you enjoyed the podcast, leave us a rating or a review. 

Have an access to information or privacy topic you want to learn more about? Interested in being a guest on the show? Send us a tweet @IPCinfoprivacy or email us at [email protected]. 

The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general information only. It should not be relied upon as a substitute for legal advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, the IPC does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this podcast, and information from this podcast should not be used or reproduced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. None of the information, opinions and recommendations presented in this podcast bind the IPC’s Tribunal that may be called upon to independently investigate and decide upon an individual complaint or appeal based on the specific facts and unique circumstances of a given case.