SCENARIO
Looking back at your first two years as the Director of Personal Information Protection and Compliance for the Berry Country Regional Medical Center in Thorn Bay, Ontario, Canada, you see a parade of accomplishments, from developing state-of-the-art simulation based training for employees on privacy protection to establishing an interactive medical records system that is accessible by patients as well as by the medical personnel. Now, however, a question you have put off looms large: how do we manage all the data-not only records produced recently, but those still on hand from years ago? A data flow diagram generated last year shows multiple servers, databases, and work stations, many of which hold files that have not yet been incorporated into the new records system. While most of this data is encrypted, its persistence may pose security and compliance concerns. The situation is further complicated by several long-term studies being conducted by the medical staff using patient information. Having recently reviewed the major Canadian privacy regulations, you want to make certain that the medical center is observing them.
You also recall a recent visit to the Records Storage Section, often termed "The Dungeon" in the basement of the old hospital next to the modern facility, where you noticed a multitude of paper records. Some of these were in crates marked by years, medical condition or alphabetically by patient name, while others were in undifferentiated bundles on shelves and on the floor. The back shelves of the section housed data tapes and old hard drives that were often unlabeled but appeared to be years old. On your way out of the dungeon, you noticed just ahead of you a small man in a lab coat who you did not recognize. He carried a batch of folders under his arm, apparently records he had removed from storage.
Which data lifecycle phase needs the most attention at this Ontario medical center?