We have a strong and robust privacy framework and it is something we take very seriously. No one should have private medical information shared inappropriately. 

WCB Nova Scotia is committed to protecting the information of those we serve, in accordance with our own policies and the applicable legislation. Breaches and incidents are monitored at the most senior levels of the organization.

The process to review a large medical file before release to employer is a challenging one. It is often not clear what’s related to a file and what’s not. This can create challenging circumstances and too often, private information is included that doesn’t need to be. Over time, new systems with better coding may remove some manual steps, and make file review more streamlined.

This challenge is not a cultural one, it is a tactical one about how the work is done. And we need to improve – the personal impacts to those we serve are too significant. 

We will begin the process to implement changes right away. Work has already begun to explore best practice for document review, retention, and the vetting of sensitive information.