sharing data
Making the best use
of our information
Strategy ensures we only share data in
ways that promote quality of care
T
he College regularly
receives requests for data
from researchers, hospitals, local health organizations and
individuals. It is not surprising that
the College’s information is much
sought after; we are a repository for
a rich, unique set of data – about
complaint trends; specialty-specific
information; and, of course, up-todate physician contact information.
At its meeting in September,
Council approved a strategy that
will ensure that we only share data
in ways that align with the College’s
priorities and mandate, while always fulfilling our privacy and confidentiality obligations. The strategy
will take effect next January.
The data-sharing strategy includes
a vision, an oversight structure and
a new decision-making tool. The
vision will serve as a principled
foundation on which data sharing
will be based. There are two key
components to the vision: responsible data stewardship and knowledge
contribution.
As a responsible steward of data,
the College will continue to be
compliant with confidentiality
and privacy obligations. We will
ensure our decisions to share data
align with the College’s objects and
priorities; we will be transparent
about policies and decisions related
to data sharing; and lastly, we will
be consistent and efficient in our
decision-making.
With respect to knowledge
contribution, the College is an
important stakeholder in the health
system. College data can support
system changes and policies, can be
used to improve patient experiences
and enable continuity of care, and
can evaluate our own effectiveness
and that of other regulatory bodies.
College data can support
system changes and
policies, can be used
to improve patient
experiences and enable
continuity of care
“Through our various processes,
the College collects information
that is unique and of significant
value in terms of informing medical
regulation, health-system planning
and decision-making,” said Dan
Faulkner, Deputy Registrar. “That
is why we have to thoughtfully
consider requests for information
from institutions, credible provincial
research organizations and others.
But we are not interested in requests
for information that only serve to
advance commercial purposes.”
So what kind of data-sharing
At its September meeting, Council approved
a new data-sharing strategy.
requests does the College receive?
And for what purposes? Here are
some examples:
•
Requests for physician information from the public register
(such as, names and specialties
of all physicians in a geographic
area; or names and practice addresses of all psychiatrists in Ontario, for example). Such information may be used for LHIN
planning purposes, or to inform
a municipal recruitment strategy. This type of information is
available to the public already,
and under certain circumstances,
the College will facilitate its
organization for appropriately
approved requests.
•
Requests for private physician data or program information pertaining to physicians
for research purposes. For
example, the Centre for Rural
and Northern Health Research
(CRaNHR), which conducts
studies and evaluation on the
DIALOGUE • Issue 3, 2014
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