Quality Improvement Information Protection Act Introduced

Government introduced legislation today, April 21, to give the existing legal protection for patient safety and quality review information to the Department of Health and Wellness.

Under the old system, each district health authority maintained its own data and review information, without it being accessible to the province. Access to this information will make analysis more effective and improve the system.

"Breaking down the walls of the old health system allows a more modern and strategic approach to system-wide provincial planning and overall improvements in patient safety," said Minister of Health and Wellness Leo Glavine.

"If one health-care facility is producing positive patient outcomes we will now be able to quantify that data and share those lessons across the entire system."

The information available to the department will be aggregate data with personal identifiers removed. Indirect identifiers such as age and sex will be kept since they provide meaningful information about particular populations.

The legislation ensures the information will have the same legal protections against release as it does with the health facilities.

"Collecting, analyzing, and using data to make informed decisions across a single health-care system will help make sure Nova Scotians know they are getting the best and safest care possible," said Mr. Glavine.