The Ministry of Health is investigating a data breach that may impact patients accessing the agency set up to coordinate home and community care services.
Reports say as many as 200,000 people registered to Ontario Health atHome may have been impacted.
News of the breach was revealed by Liberal Health critic, Dr. Adil Shamji who indicated the incident happened in March.
Health Minister Sylvia Jones confirmed Friday it involved a third-party vendor and that her Ministry was looking into it.
“Yes, so Ontario Health is absolutely investigating right now,” says Jones.
“We have a division that focuses on any potential cyber breach and as is standard operating, Ontario Health and Ontario Health atHome will notify if there has been any form of breach to individual patients.”
Premier Doug Ford says an individual was caught and that the investigation would identify the reasons behind the breach not being publicly reported earlier.
“That will come out, and we find out where the gap is and why it wasn’t brought to our attention a lot earlier,” says Ford.
“But we are glad the investigation is happening. We are glad we caught the person. That is sacred. Any health records are sacred in Ontario.”
No other details have been provided.
