The Coral Radiology Information System (RIS) is a shared information system containing copies of personal health information from patients' visits to University Health Network (Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital and Toronto Rehab), Mount Sinai Hospital and Women's College Hospital.
As of April 26, 2014, clinicians are able to access data in Coral RIS and view the personal health information in it.
How is Patient Health Information Used and Protected?
Patient's personal health information is made available to participating health care organizations for the purpose of providing the patient with health care and treatment, or to reduce a significant risk of serious bodily harm. The health care organizations using Coral Workstation handle a patient's personal health information securely and confidentially, in accordance with Ontario's health privacy law (Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004) and other applicable laws.
Who Operates Coral RIS?
The Joint Department of Medical Imaging (JDMI) Informatics team operates the Coral RIS on behalf of the University Health Network, Mount Sinai Hospital and Women's College Hospital and provides services that allow personal health information to be shared electronically by:
- Managing and operating the Coral RIS;
- Assessing the privacy and security of the information system to help ensure that it protects personal health information;
- Operating the Coral RIS Privacy and Security Program in cooperation with the participating health care organizations, including communicating directly with individuals making requests to access or correct their personal health information or individuals with privacy or security questions or complaints;
- Developing and managing some of the technology needed to support the information system; and
- Managing service providers who built and support the information system
When JDMI Informatics provides these services, it has access to the personal health information in the information system. It only uses personal health information to perform these services to health care organizations and does not disclose the personal health information to any other health care organizations.
Patient Privacy Rights
Patients can contact JDMI Informatics or any health care organization participating in Coral RIS for any privacy and security questions, complaints or requests. Please refer to the contact information.
A patient would likely contact us for the following privacy-related reasons:
Consent and Blocking a Patient Record
Health care organizations may use and share patient personal health information for treatment and care. All health care organizations that use and share patient personal health information in Coral RIS follow Ontario's health privacy law.
Patients can opt out of having personal health information used and shared by health care providers by putting a block on personal health information. The Coral RIS Application Program provides different blocking options such as preventing certain health care providers from using or sharing personal health information or preventing all health care providers from using or sharing information.
Viewing or Obtaining a Copy of Personal Health Information
Patients have a right to request to see or obtain a copy of the following:
- The patient's personal health information in the information system
- A list of health care professionals who have viewed a patient's personal health information in the information system
- A list of times that a patient has put or removed a block on personal health information
Correcting Personal Health Information
Patients have a right to ask that their personal health information be corrected if they feel it is out-of-date or inaccurate.
Questions or Complaints about Coral RIS Practices
Everyone has a right to ask questions or make a complaint about how Coral RIS handles personal health information or privacy.
Contact Information
The most secure way to contact JDMI Informatics is by mail. Patients may choose to email JDMI Informatics, but the security of email messages is not guaranteed. Messages may be forged, forwarded, or seen by others using the internet.
Please note: Patients should not use email to discuss sensitive information, or use email in an emergency since it may be delayed.
JDMI Informatics Office
c/o University Health Network
700 Bay Street, 2nd Floor
Toronto, ON M7A 2H4
Email: JDMI_Support@uhn.ca
