The Pharmaceutical Information Program, also known as PIP, is a secure computer system that contains information about a resident's prescribed and dispensed medications. PIP is used by authorized healthcare professionals in their treatment and decision making process. PIP adds to the quality, safety and management of healthcare in Saskatchewan.

(See more information below.)

Initially PIP will be available in limited numbers of emergency rooms, pharmacies, long term care homes and prescribers' offices in Saskatchewan. After the initial roll out, PIP will begin an expanded roll out to other emergency rooms, pharmacies, long term care homes, and prescribers' offices across Saskatchewan.

Traditionally, prescription information was recorded where the prescription was written, such as a hospital, doctor's office or clinic, or where filled, such as an individual pharmacy. Therefore, doctors and pharmacists may not have known all the medications a person was taking. As a result, they may have made drug therapy decisions based on incomplete information. Healthcare practitioners would have had to phone, fax, or mail information to each other, which could be time consuming and result in delays. PIP will help to ensure that individuals and their health care providers have the information needed to make the best decisions about their health care.

PIP will enhance patient safety. Having access to additional information will help Saskatchewan health care professionals offer the highest quality of care to their patients.

An individual's prescription information will be used as a tool to help prevent dangerous or inappropriate use of drugs. This includes not only prescription drug abuse, but also situations where there may be confusion about the medications a person is taking, such as when treating multiple medical conditions, or where several prescribers are involved in a patient's care.

Having access to their patients' drug history will help physicians and other health care providers make the best possible decisions on drug therapy, such as selecting the best medication, avoiding drug interactions, and avoiding duplications of therapy.

Your personal health information is completely confidential.

Access to PIP is limited and only given to people who need it - only authorized health care providers will have access to the system. All health care providers are made aware of their responsibilities and agree to maintain the confidentiality of information and use it only on a need-to-know basis.

The protections outlined in The Health Information Protection Act (HIPA) apply to the prescription information being collected. Policies, procedures, and computer systems are in place to protect information from unauthorized use, error, or loss. All access to the PIP data is tracked and recorded. You can request a printout of who has accessed your information in PIP.

Disclosure of PIP information will only be allowed if permitted or required by law (e.g. search warrant, legal proceedings).

While there are many benefits to the Pharmaceutical Information Program, we recognize that some people may not be comfortable with the electronic sharing of their personal health information. Residents may choose a masking option (request that prescription information be hidden from view). Individuals who may choose this option should call 1-800-667-1672 for more information. A downloadable Request to Mask form is available.

When authorized health care professionals log into the PIP application and select a masked record, the health care professional will be prevented from seeing any drug profile information, except in three circumstances:

• With consent: At any time, you may give your health care provider (such as your physician or pharmacist) consent to view your masked medication profile. This authorization can be time-limited (such as a specified number of days or months) or indefinite.
• In an emergency, when the person is unable to provide consent: This would allow a health care provider to access the history in an emergency, such as if the person is unconscious or unable to provide consent due to their illness. The information could be life-saving in these circumstances.
• Dangerous use of prescription drugs: A list of drug categories has been developed in consultation with the regulatory bodies that license physicians and pharmacists. Health care providers may unmask a profile when considering prescribing or dispensing one of these drugs, because there is potential for harm if these drugs are used inappropriately.
  

Completre the Request to Mask form and send to:

Drug Plan and Extended Benefits Branch
Saskatchewan Health
3475 Albert Street
S4S 6X6

or fax - (306) 787-8679

Please allow ten working days upon receipt of request to complete the masking application.

PIP will contain information about drugs dispensed since March 1, 2005. These are the prescriptions that will be masked.

Under The Prescription Drugs Act, all Saskatchewan pharmacies that dispense prescription drugs are required to submit information to Saskatchewan Health.

In 2004 the Drug Plan was enhanced to collect information on all prescriptions dispensed form community pharmacies, including those that were not previously collected under the drug plan.

The purpose for collecting information on all prescriptions is to build a history of prescriptions dispensed to all persons in Saskatchewan. This information will be used to ensure that individuals and their health care providers have the information needed to make the best decisions about their health care.

Saskatchewan Health takes great care to protect the personal health information under its control. Information is kept in strict confidence, and is only used or disclosed as authorized or required by law.

Yes.
If, in your health care provider's professional opinion they can't recommend a particular course of treatment because they do not have all the patient history information required, your health care provider may refuse to provide or recommend treatment.

You can give your health care provider consent to view your drug profile for a limited time. This would still ensure that your record remained masked from other users.

If a facility loses computer hardware through theft, fire or another circumstance, there is no security risk to the information in PIP.

All of a patient's drug profile information is stored in highly secure servers in the custody and control of Saskatchewan Health, so that only authorized users can look at the information and/or print a copy of the information for their files. The actual data is not stored on the lost equipment.

The database is well protected by using industry standard technical, administrative and physical safeguards, which ensures only authorized users who have a need to know may access the centrally stored system.

Policies and/or practices for users and administrators are also in place to ensure your personal health information is protected.