Dr Jason Brown, Acting Chief Digital Health Officer
Alister Whitta, Chief Finance and Corporate Officer
Privacy Awareness Week
In today’s healthcare landscape, technology plays a pivotal role in delivering efficient and effective care. Electronic health records, telemedicine, wearable devices, and health applications offer unprecedented opportunities for better patient outcomes and streamlined care. However, with these advancements come significant privacy challenges.
As technology advances, so do the risks to individuals’ privacy and security. From data breaches to unauthorised access and cyber-attacks, healthcare organisations around the world face a multitude of threats that can compromise patient confidentiality as well as our own. Now more than ever it is vital for us to be aware of the risks and protect personal information, both of our patients and in our private lives.
This year’s Privacy Awareness Week in Queensland begins on Monday 6 May 2024. With the theme ‘Privacy and technology: improving transparency, accountability and security’, it’s timely for us all to remember to prioritise privacy and protect community trust by ensuring our systems are secure.
Every day we can demonstrate our commitment to privacy and protecting personal information. Strong privacy practices build greater community trust, and it embeds a workplace culture that values privacy. In Metro North Health we all have a role to play in keeping our information safe.
Ensure information stays secure with these tips:
- Consider what information you are posting to social media and be careful not to overshare.
- Check the terms and conditions before signing up to a new service or app.
- If you are unsure why a service or application is requesting certain information, ask them.
- Secure your personal accounts by setting up multi-factor authentication.
Now is a great opportunity to complete the Metro North Privacy and Confidentiality training course, available on TMS and ensure you are aware of your responsibilities when handling personal information and confidential patient information.
Find out more about Privacy Awareness Week, and access additional resources on privacy through QHEPS.
Alister and Jason.