Health Information Protection Act (HIPA)

The Health Information Protection Act is designed to improve the privacy of people’s health information while ensuring adequate sharing of information is possible to provide health services. Development of the Act started in 1997 and it was proclaimed in force on September 1, 2003. New regulations created under the authority of this Act called The Health Information Protection Regulations came into force on July 22, 2005.

The Health Information Protection Act legislates rights of individuals and obligations of the “trustees” in the health system with respect to personal health information. A trustee includes persons or organizations prescribed in the Act or regulations who have custody or control of personal health information and includes, the Ministry, physicians, regional health authorities, the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, ambulance operators, health profesionals to name but a few. Please see clause 2(t) of HIPA for a complete list of trustees.

HIPA applies to personal health information in the health system in any form, including paper and electronic records. It provides protection for privacy of personal health information, while ensuring that information is available, as needed, to provide health services to those in need and to monitor, evaluate and improve the health system in Saskatchewan.

Documents are available for download from links listed below.