Saskatchewan proposal to use patient information for fundraising lists

From today's Globe & Mail Health column:

Looking for a loophole:

"Saskatchewan's health department is considering amendments to provincial privacy regulations that would allow hospitals to use patient records to build mailing lists for fundraising campaigns.

Under the current Health Information Protection Act, patients must give their consent before hospitals can send them requests for donations. Duane Mombourquette, director of strategic planning and information policy with Saskatchewan Health, said one option now under consideration would allow hospitals to assume patients don't mind being asked for money.

If patients don't enjoy being contacted, Mr. Mombourquette said, they would be allowed to contact the hospital and take their name off the mailing list.

Gary Dickson, Saskatchewan's Information and Privacy Commissioner, plans to give the provincial legislature his opinion about the proposal in a few weeks."