Latest news with #OntarioHealthatHome
Global News
15 hours ago
- Health
- Global News
Ontario health agency reports major data breach to watchdog without notifying patients
Government and privacy officials are investigating a potential data breach involving the health data of hundreds of thousands of patients who have not yet been notified about an incident in the spring. On Friday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Health Minister Sylvia Jones and the Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC) all appeared to confirm that the data of patients using the Ontario Health atHome service may have been breached. In a letter to Ontario Liberal MPP Adil Shamji, who first flagged the potential cyber attack, the IPC suggested he was correct when he said the incident occurred more than three months ago in March. The IPC commissioner confirmed to Shamji that a report had been filed 'that aligns with the circumstances and date described in your letter.' Shamji had said the breach happened on or around March 17 and involved 200,000 patients. Story continues below advertisement A spokesperson for the IPC told Global News the watchdog had received reports of a breach from Ontario Health atHome — which did not report it until the end of May. The government didn't confirm the breach until June 27, after questions at an unrelated news conference. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Ontario Health atHome notified our office of a privacy breach on May 30, 2025,' the spokesperson wrote. 'At this stage, we are reviewing the circumstances of the incident and cannot share further details at this time.' Jones said the public agency responsible was investigating. 'Ontario Health is absolutely investigating right now,' she said. 'We have a division that focuses on any potential cyber breach, and as is standing operating (procedure) Ontario Health and Ontario Health atHome will notify if there has been any form of breach to individual patients, but that investigation is going on right now.' With the breach potentially occurring in March and the IPC notified last month, it is unclear why patients potentially involved have not yet been notified. Shamji said they should have been notified long ago. 'I fundamental tenet of a breach of this nature — especially involving so many people — is to immediately notify those individuals,' he said. 'They need to know that their personal information may be compromised and that they need to be monitoring things like credit scores.' Story continues below advertisement Ford appeared to suggest his office had not been informed, despite Ontario Health atHome telling the IPC about the breach a month earlier. 'We'll find out where the gap is and why it wasn't brought to our attention a lot earlier, but we're glad the investigation is happening,' Ford said on Friday. Global News sent questions to Ontario Health but did not receive a response ahead of publication. The potential data breach is the latest issue in a difficult period for Ontario Health atHome, a rebranded and consolidated agency launched by the Ford government. Supply shortages in the fall left more than 350 people receiving home and palliative care across the province without the medication or equipment they needed. Delays in delivering supplies came after the government signed new contracts with private vendors for Ontario Health. As a result of the delays, the province had to refund $219,000 to people forced to buy their own medical supplies. Shamji said the data breach was evidence of an agency which couldn't function properly. 'Ontario Health atHome has been in disarray for months,' he said. 'First with medication shortages and then with supply shortages, then with massive delays in care and now with the protection of personal health information. They've failed on all those things.'
Hamilton Spectator
15 hours ago
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
Doug Ford expanding medical procedures covered by OHIP in private clinics
Ontario is expanding privately run surgical and diagnostic centres to deliver MRI and CT scans for patients 'paid for by their OHIP card not their credit card,' says Premier Doug Ford. Ford said Friday his Progressive Conservative government would spend $155 million over two years on 57 new private clinics licensed to deliver scans and gastrointestinal endoscopy services across the province. 'These centres will help cut wait times and provide convenient, publicly funded care for people in their communities so they can get care when they need it, paid for by their OHIP card not their credit card,' the premier said at the Schroeder Ambulatory Centre in Richmond Hill. The Tories hope the expansion of 35 diagnostic centres and 22 endoscopy clinics will help 1.2 million people access such services more quickly and 'relieve hospital capacity' at a time when the system is bursting at the seams. 'Right now, a lot of hospitals are at full capacity, but this will relieve them,' insisted Ford, whose government has been criticized for increasing the role of private-sector in health-care delivery. 'At the end of the day, the people want to know when they can get their hip replaced or their knee replaced, or get cataracts done or get an MRI or a CT scan — and we're taking a massive burden off the system and off hospitals,' he said. But a cloud was cast over the announcement by word that 200,000 home-care patients had their health data breach due to a 'third-party vendor.' Liberal MPP Adil Shamji (Don Valley North), a medical doctor, said the province's information and privacy commissioner should investigate the leak of the personal health information of tens of thousands of Ontario Health atHome patients on or around March 17. 'As elected officials, we are accountable to the people who elected us. That is why I feel it is my obligation to notify the commissioner and compel Premier Ford to act on this clear and present risk to patients,' said Shamji, expressing concern about privacy violations, identity theft and insurance fraud. 'If your personal health information had been stolen, how long would you want to wait before being told? It has been three and a half months, and to my knowledge, not one of the 200,000 or more affected Ontario Health atHome patients has been notified,' he said. 'That's nearly one third of all home care patients in Ontario at risk.' Health Minister Sylvia Jones confirmed 'Ontario Health is absolutely investigating right now.' 'We have a division that focuses on any potential cyber breach and, as is standard operating (procedure), we will — Ontario Health and Ontario Health atHome — will notify if there has been any form of breach to individual patients, but that investigation is going on right now,' said Jones. 'It was a third-party vendor,' she added. Ford, noting his own personal health data was once made public, stressed such records are 'sacred in Ontario.' 'Anyone who breaches health-care records needs to be fired, immediately, gone, be charged. That's what needs to happen here in Ontario,' he said. Friday's announcement is part of the Tories' push to shorten wait times by approving additional privately owned clinics to provide cataract surgeries, scans and hip and knee replacements under the belief that the status quo is not working. The controversial transition to more private clinics has been in the works since the passage of the Your Health Act two years ago but kept on the down-low before the Feb. 27 provincial election that saw Ford win a third consecutive majority. Critics have warned the move to more procedures in private clinics will bleed the public health system of doctors, nurses and other resources at a time when patients face record waits in emergency rooms and pave the way for corporations to profit instead of increasing government support for public hospitals where operating rooms sometimes sit empty. There are also concerns that increased reliance on private clinics means that patients will be pressured into paying for extras not covered by OHIP — despite repeated assurances to the contrary from Ford and Jones. For example, Ontario's auditor general warned in 2021 that cataract surgery patients — mostly seniors whose eye lenses blur as they age — are the most vulnerable to 'misleading sales practices' in some circumstances. Options include certain tests and upgraded lenses that can eliminate the need for eyeglasses. Ontario now has more than 900 private clinics providing OHIP-covered medical services, as has been the case for decades under governments of all political stripes.
Hamilton Spectator
15 hours ago
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
Ontario investigating alleged data breach of 200,000 home care patients' info
TORONTO - Ontario is investigating an alleged breach of 200,000 home care patients' personal health data, Health Minister Sylvia Jones said Friday. Liberal health critic Adil Shamji said he has unearthed information that an Ontario Health atHome data breach affecting at least 200,000 patients occurred in mid-March and was never disclosed to the public. 'I remain significantly, significantly concerned that there is an urgent, clear and present risk to Ontario home care patients that deserve to know that sensitive personal health information has been compromised of theirs and specifically has not been disclosed,' Shamji said. He did not reveal how he knows about the alleged breach, but has asked the information and privacy commissioner to investigate. Ontario Health atHome is responsible for co-ordinating in-home and community-based care. Shamji said about one-third of all home care patients in the province have been affected. He wrote to Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario Patricia Kosseim last week and again on Friday outlining his concerns. Kosseim wrote back to Shamji on Friday, saying her office is looking into the matter. 'I can confirm the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario has received a report of a privacy breach that aligns with the circumstances and date described in your letter,' Kosseim wrote. The province says Ontario Health atHome is investigating one particular vendor that held that data and whether private information was taken. 'Ontario Health and Ontario Health atHome will notify if there has been any form of breach to individual patients,' Jones said. Premier Doug Ford said the province will get to the bottom of it. 'We will find out where the gap is and why it wasn't brought to our attention a lot earlier,' he said. Ford said the matter is personal to him, after his and his brother Rob Ford's medical information was breached in 2014. 'Anyone who breaches health-care records needs to be fired immediately,' Ford said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Toronto Sun
16 hours ago
- Health
- Toronto Sun
Ontario probes alleged data breach of 200,000 home care patients' info
Liberals say a breach affecting at least 200,000 patients occurred in mid-March and was never disclosed to the public Published Jun 27, 2025 • Last updated 0 minutes ago • 1 minute read Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones. Photo by Postmedia files Ontario is investigating an alleged breach of 200,000 home care patients' personal health data, Health Minister Sylvia Jones said Friday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Liberal health critic Adil Shamji said he has unearthed information that an Ontario Health atHome data breach affecting at least 200,000 patients occurred in mid-March and was never disclosed to the public. 'I remain significantly, significantly concerned that there is an urgent, clear and present risk to Ontario home care patients that deserve to know that sensitive personal health information has been compromised of theirs and specifically has not been disclosed,' Shamji said. He did not reveal how he knows about the alleged breach, but has asked the information and privacy commissioner to investigate. Ontario Health atHome is responsible for co-ordinating in-home and community-based care. Shamji said about one-third of all home care patients in the province have been affected. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He wrote to Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario Patricia Kosseim last week and again on Friday outlining his concerns. Kosseim wrote back to Shamji on Friday, saying her office is looking into the matter. 'I can confirm the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario has received a report of a privacy breach that aligns with the circumstances and date described in your letter,' Kosseim wrote. The province says Ontario Health atHome is investigating one particular vendor that held that data and whether private information was taken. 'Ontario Health and Ontario Health atHome will notify if there has been any form of breach to individual patients,' Jones said. Premier Doug Ford said the province will get to the bottom of it. 'We will find out where the gap is and why it wasn't brought to our attention a lot earlier,' he said. Ford said the matter is personal to him, after his and his brother Rob Ford's medical information was breached in 2014. 'Anyone who breaches health-care records needs to be fired immediately,' Ford said. Toronto Raptors News Toronto Raptors Music Canada
Winnipeg Free Press
17 hours ago
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
Ontario investigating alleged data breach of 200,000 home care patients' info
TORONTO – Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones says the province is investigating an alleged breach of 200,000 home care patients' personal health data. Liberal health critic Adil Shamji says he has unearthed information that an Ontario Health atHome data breach affecting at least 200,000 patients occurred in mid-March and was never disclosed to the public. He has not revealed how he knows about the alleged breach, but has asked the Information and Privacy Commissioner to investigate. Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario Patricia Kosseim has told Shamji her office has received a report of a privacy breach that aligns with his information. Ontario Health atHome is responsible for co-ordinating in-home and community-based care. The province says Ontario Health atHome is investigating one particular vendor that held that data and whether private information was taken. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2025.
