Overview

The Ministry of Health Data Integration Unit (DIU) is collecting personal information, indirectly, for the purpose of gaining insights through de-identification of data and data integration.

The ministry gathers information from organizations instead of directly from the individuals about whom the information relates and as such the collection is called an indirect collection of information.

De-identification involves removing information that identifies an individual or that could be used, either alone or with other information, to identify an individual. De-identified data is then coded to allow matching with other anonymized data sets.

Data integration involves joining data sets from different sources to develop insights.

DIUs link and de-identify information to create new datasets that can be analyzed so government can improve how programs and services are delivered to Ontarians.

Data and privacy

The government is committed to being transparent about the use of personal information for data integration and to ensuring that for each project, only the necessary information is collected.

The Ontario Public Service Data Integration Data Standards (PDF) (OPS DI Data Standards) help protect the confidentiality of personal information by outlining obligations under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) Part III.1 and ensuring a consistent approach to our transparent, accountable use of data in a way that protects privacy.

The notice(s) posted below outline upcoming, current, and recently published collections of information, as required by FIPPA and the Data Standards.

Notice(s)

Notice of Information Collection for Daily Capacity Monitoring (DCM)

The pandemic has highlighted the importance of understanding health system capacity to meet the needs of patients in Ontario.

The ministry established the Daily Capacity Monitoring (DCM) Project to help inform and support health system capacity planning and management.

The Ministry Data Integration Unit (DIU) will collect record-level admissions and discharge data including personal information from Ontario’s Electronic Health Record (EHR). This information is also “personal health information” within the meaning of the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA).

Upon receipt, the data will be de-identified using Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to meet the requirements defined in the OPS DI Data Standards, developed in consultation with the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.

The DIU will link the data to existing ministry data holdings to create a de-identified, integrated data set to support the broader health sector in understanding facility occupancy and surges, length of stay, capacity and resource availability, and service utilization by geographic area.

The DIU may further disclose the Personal Information/Personal Health Information it collects:

  • as required by law
  • to an institution or law enforcement agency in Canada in relation to an investigation
  • for the purpose of proceedings before a court or tribunal
  • to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario

Legal authority to collect personal health information

Under the authority of and subject to the conditions in FIPPA s.49.4. the Ministry of Health DIU will indirectly collect personal information by means of the EHR and from other departments of the Ministry of Health for the purposes set out in s.49.2. In the case of the DCM project, the purpose of the collection is to help inform the management and allocation of resources and support the evaluation of services and programs that the government funds.

Since the information the DIU will collect for the DCM project is personal health information as defined in PHIPA, the ministry requires authority under PHIPA for the collection. The DIU will collect PHI by means of the EHR under the authority of section 55.9 of PHIPA.

Types of Personal Health Information to be collected and period of collection

The period for data collection will begin on July 21, 2023 and continue on an ongoing basis until further notice.

Data will be collected by means of the EHR on admissions and discharges from Ontario public hospitals and includes:

  • identifying information including name, date of birth, address, and health card number
  • hospital visit information, including admissions and discharges

Data will be collected from internal ministry sources to validate health card number and identify respiratory virus positivity. The PHI collected will be de-identified and linked to better understand hospital capacity in relation to respiratory viral infections and monitor bed availability.

Source(s) and dataset(s) from where Personal Health Information will be collected

(Last updated July 21, 2023)

External sources

Acute and Clinical Data Repository (Electronic Health Record repository)
Source: Ontario Health, Prescribed Organization
About: The Acute and Community Clinical Data Repository (acCDR) captures patient information from hospitals and home and community care organizations across Ontario. It includes information about patients’ hospital visits, emergency room reports, consultation reports and discharge summaries as well as long-term placement details, client risks, assessments, and care plans.

Provincial Client Registry (PCR)
Source: Ontario Health, Prescribed Organization
About: The Provincial Client Registry (PCR) is a repository that stores demographics and identifiers pertaining to patients who have received health care in Ontario. It enables authorized health care providers/organizations to uniquely identify patients and compile a complete longitudinal health record, including where their health care encounter utilized a local Medical Record Number (MRN) identifier or their Ontario issued Health Card Number (HCN).

Internal MOH sources

Registered Persons Database (RPDB)
Source: Ministry of Health, Health Data Branch
About: This database contains information on persons registered under the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) and who are eligible for the Ontario Drug Benefit Program.

Ontario Laboratories Information System (OLIS)
Source: Ministry of Health, Information Management Strategy and Policy Branch
About: OLIS gives authorized health care providers access to lab test orders and results from hospitals, community labs and public health labs.

Where to get more information

If you have questions about the Daily Capacity Monitoring (DCM) project and the collection, use and disclosure of the personal information described in this notice, please contact the Data Integration Unit undertaking this work:

MOH/MLTC Data Integration Unit
Marianne Miranda
Manager
Ministry of Health / Ministry of Long-Term Care
Health Data Branch
5700 Yonge Street, 4th floor
Toronto, Ontario
M2M 4K5
 IMsupport@ontario.ca