Pam Seto Archives

Health Law Update

By Pam Seto on October 30, 2020

Bills

See our separate post on Bill 218, which if passed will offer liability protection against COVID-19 claims:

https://ddohealthlaw.com/ontario-introduces-a-bill-to-create-a-shield-from-covid-19-liability/

Regulations

Amendment of Regulation O. Reg. 329/04 (General) under the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA)

The proposed amendment to O. Reg. 329/04 (General) under PHIPA would name the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) as a prescribed ministry for purposes of section 46 of PHIPA.

This would provide the minister of MCCSS with the power to direct custodians to disclose personal health information for purposes of determining, providing, monitoring or verifying payment relating to programs it funds.

Currently, MCCSS funds custodians to provide programs for health care delivery and those custodians have no clear authority to disclose to MCCSS the personal health information needed for MCCSS to assess whether programs it funds are successful. This amendment would allow for MCCSS to collect personal health information in order to make better evidence-based allocation decisions.

Comment Due Date: Dec 30, 2020

More information: https://www.ontariocanada.com/registry/view.do?postingId=34987&language=en

Government News

Ontario Launching COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream

Celebrate Halloween Safely This Year

The Ottawa Hospital and Extendicare (Canada) Inc. enter into Management Agreement

Ontario Launches Innovative Solution to Improve Long-Term Care

New Management Ordered at Niagara Falls, Ontario Long-Term Care Home

Ontario Adding Over 760 Hospital Beds Across the Province

UPDATED: Chief Medical Officer of Health and Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health to Hold Bi-Weekly Media Briefings

COVID-19

Canadian ICUs brace for COVID-19 resurgence on top of the flu

Health officials reveal new projections as Ontario sees 934 more COVID-19 cases

Health unit asks Western students not to go home to COVID hotspots for fall reading week

Blenheim church outbreak now linked with 30 COVID cases, including blood clinic exposure

Inside a Toronto ICU: A second-wave revisit and what has changed in six months

Government invests $1.9 million in COVID-19 immunity study of high-risk populations

Isolation heightening teens’ image anxieties

Inside Ontario’s overwhelmed labs: How lingering issues and mistakes caused massive COVID-19 testing backlog

It may be time to reset expectations on when we’ll get a Covid-19 vaccine

Ford asking for reopenings in Stage 2 areas as Ontario confirms 896 new COVID-19 cases

Healthcare

‘World first’ Parkinson’s treatment undergoing clinical trial in Toronto

Ontario man denied government-funded mental health support for having ‘complex’ case

MAID

Assisted dying bill passes House of Commons vote in principle

Data, Privacy and AI

Cyberattack on Montreal’s west end health agency leads it to unplug from internet

Privacy investigation finds 5 million shoppers’ images collected at malls across Canada

NYGH deploys clinical decision support for DI

New system eases clinical communication at Michael Garron

Building Wave of Ransomware Attacks Strike U.S. Hospitals

Things to Do this Weekend

Halloween at home: Creepy cookie kits, scary-movie snacks, spooky booze and other treats you can get delivered to your door

The most creative, elaborate Toronto jack-o-lanterns from this year’s pumpkin parades

Health Law Update

By Pam Seto on October 16, 2020

Posted in Legislative Updates

Bills

The Liberal Party introduced an amendment to the Connecting Care Act, 2019. Bill 212 would provide for a patient bills of rights, including the right to have access to an essential caregiver. First reading was held on October 6th.

Regulations

No new or proposed regulations.

Government News

Millions Across Canada Now Using Made-in-Ontario COVID Alert App

Ontario Moving Additional Region to Modified Stage 2

Ontario Hiring Hundreds More Contact Tracers and Case Managers

Ontario Supports the Production of Critical Supplies to Fight the Spread of COVID-19

Ontario Adding Over 200 More Transitional Care Beds Across the Province

Ontario’s Cyber Security Expert Panel

COVID-19

Meet the experts trying to change the way we communicate about COVID-19

COVID-19 long-haulers may be experiencing multiple syndromes: NIHR review

New guidelines urge adults to cap screen time, sedentary behaviour even in pandemic

‘Wild, wild west’: No charges laid against 300 companies making false PPE claims

Heavier breathing, spewing droplets, poor ventilation add to gyms’ superspreading risk

Canada tops 190,000 total coronavirus cases as deaths near 9,700

Ontario government announces change to controversial teacher hiring rule

London, Ont., researchers develop faster, cheaper method to test possible COVID-19 drug treatments

New study looks to speak to veterans and their spouses about the impact of COVID-19 on mental health

Being A Mom Is Tough. Being A Mom In A Pandemic Is Even Tougher

Coronavirus: What’s happening in Canada and around the world on Friday

Healthcare

Police watchdog investigating woman’s death following mental health call

New pink fentanyl causing overdoses across Ontario, prompting public health warnings

Canadian ministers to meet with stakeholders to address systemic racism in health-care system against Indigenous peoples

Data, Privacy and AI

How Data From Wearables Will Revolutionize Healthcare

AI is about to face a major test: Can it differentiate Covid-19 from flu?

‘There’s a whole war going on’: the film tracing a decade of cyber-attacks

Canadians spend more money and time online during pandemic, and fall for more phishing scams

Things to Do this Weekend

Things to do this weekend in Toronto

Health Law Update

By Pam Seto on October 10, 2020

Posted in Legislative Updates

Bills

No new bills of interest.

Regulations

REG2020 – Improving Access to Exceptional Access Program Drugs for Ontarians Living Near Manitoba and Quebec Borders under the Ontario Drug Benefit Act.

This proposed regulation would make Quebec and Manitoba physicians and nurses who have the authority to prescribe drugs “authorized prescribers” for the purposes of Ontario’s Exceptional Access Program (EAP).

Comments Due Date: Nov 20, 2020

More Information: https://www.ontariocanada.com/registry/view_posting.jsp;jsessionid=l7TQoy6vZoHGlPqtFMRqpnQ?language=en&postingId=34687

Government News

Ontario Implementing Additional Public Health Measures in Toronto, Ottawa and Peel Region

Ontario Taking Immediate Action to Reduce Rates of Transmission in Toronto, Ottawa and Peel Regio

Ontario Building a Modern, Connected and Comprehensive Mental Health and Addictions System

COVID-19

Antibody drugs are no cure but seem promising for COVID-19

Canada’s health minister talks migrant worker crisis, border restrictions and COVID-19 tests

Ontario experiencing spike in new COVID-19 ICU admissions not seen since June, data shows

Ontario reports a record-breaking 939 cases of COVID-19, prompting emergency provincial cabinet meeting

What Coronavirus Test Results Do — And Don’t — Mean

Ontario tightens restrictions in 3 major areas amid 939 new cases of COVID-19

Appointment-based COVID-19 testing leaves behind vulnerable people, Ontario doctor says

Meet the Canadian TikTok doc helping young people understand COVID-19

Doctors, pharmacies explore drive-thrus, outdoor clinics to meet flu shot demand

Data, Privacy and AI

Online privacy is even more at risk during the COVID-19 pandemic, federal watchdog warns

Is Data The Answer To Scaling Compassion In Healthcare?

Toronto hospital network says info of about 150 patients allegedly stolen

Things to Do this Weekend

15 things to do in Toronto this Thanksgiving weekend 2020

Thanksgiving 2020: What’s open, what’s closed in Toronto

Why Thanksgiving turkeys will be smaller this year

Toronto’s best pizza right now

Five pumpkin patches near Toronto to get into the Halloween spirit

This fall, we need books more than ever. Meet the authors making sense of a wild 2020

Health Law Update

By Pam Seto on October 2, 2020

Posted in Legislative Updates

Bills

Bill 203, the More Than A Visitor Act (Caregiving in Congregate Care Settings) was introduced on September 16th and referred to committee on September 24th. It was introduced by Lisa Gretzky (NDP), MPP for Windsor West. A response to the pandemic lockdowns experienced in long-term care, residential care and other congregate care settings, the Bill would require the Minister to acknowledge the rights of “designated caregivers” to have access to their loved ones in order to provide care and support. The Bill acknowledges that these designated caregivers are essential partners in care and support.

Regulations

No proposed or approved regulations of interest.

Government News

Ontario Revises COVID-19 Screening Guidance for Schools and Child Care

Ontario Investing $52.5 Million to Recruit, Retain and Support More Health Care Workers

Ontario Implementing Additional Public Health and Testing Measures to Keep People Safe

Ontario Providing over Half a Billion Dollars to Protect Vulnerable Seniors against Second Wave of COVID-19

Ontario Provides $461 Million to Temporarily Enhance Wages For Personal Support Workers

Ontario Delivers $2.8 Billion COVID-19 Fall Preparedness Plan

Electronic Press Kit Now Available: Ontario Implementing Additional Public Health and Testing Measures to Keep People Safe

Ontario Continues to Strengthen and Secure Public Sector Cyber Security

Articles of Interest