PHIA On Line Training Sessions

The Personal Health Information Act (PHIA) requires all health information trustees, including health care facilities (ex: medical clinics and laboratories), health services agencies and privately practicing licensed, registered or designated health professionals to be familiar with PHIA and to develop policies and procedures as required by the Act.

To assist trustees in complying with the many requirements of this law, Manitoba Health (Health) has developed a PHIA Online Training Program. This program provides a comprehensive review of The Personal Health Information Act (PHIA) and offers the following three versions free of charge:

  1. Direct PHI Version - for health professionals and their staff who are required to access personal health information in providing care and services to patients and clients;
  1. Indirect PHI Version – for individuals who are not required to access personal health information in carrying out their duties, but may have access to it, including for example custodial staff and volunteers; and
  1. Administrator Version – for office managers and IT administrators of a private professional practice who are responsible for developing and implementing office policies and procedures.

Interested parties can register for the program as an individual or as a health information trustee organization. Organizations can register their employees and can monitor which of their registrants have completed the training. Individuals that complete the training receive a program completion certificate for the version that they complete. The certificate is valid for three years.

All training versions noted above can be accessed at: http://www.trainingtodo.com/mbhealth/secure/index.asp.

In addition to the training program, revised Guidelines have been approved respecting the legislated requirement for the creation and auditing of Records of User Activity by trustees that maintain personal health information in an electronic information system (ex: an electronic patient record or electronic medical record).

Finally, Health has developed a list of the policies and procedures required by trustees, including health professionals in private practice, to comply with PHIA. This list and other PHIA resources are available on the Health website at: www.gov.mb.ca/health/phia/resources.html.

Please feel free to contact the Legislative Unit of Manitoba Health at 204-788-6612 or by email at PHIAinfo@gov.mb.ca with any questions or requests for further information on any of the above-noted matters.

- posted Dec. 16, 2014