TORONTO – PwC Canada today announced it has developed a new privacy and security standard for virtual care in collaboration with Telus.
“The standard defines specific privacy and security controls that should be implemented by virtual care service providers who are following leading practices,” a press release explains. “This made-in-Canada standard was created to build trust in privacy and security practices in the virtual health space.”
Following the standard and being assessed against it will help virtual care providers earn their patients’ trust and confidence, the release says, adding that trust and transparency are “crucial for healthcare professionals, patients using virtual care, and the private and public sector companies providing it.”
The new standard helps organizations receiving or delivering healthcare through virtual services better secure the platform being used, protect patient privacy and support buy-in and adoption of virtual care services.
“Canadian organizations rapidly implemented digital transformations at the onset of the pandemic, so the public naturally wants to know how their personal information is secured and protected. Meanwhile, threat actors have become more targeted and sophisticated in their operations,” said Jordan Prokopy, partner at PwC Canada, in the release.
“While privacy and security are critical to building trust for virtual care adoption and use, there was a lack of industry-recognized standards to guide virtual care teams, their patients, and other stakeholders. Working alongside industry leaders such as TELUS on this standard has been a breakthrough in addressing these challenges.”
“TELUS is committed to leveraging its innovative technology to drive positive change and to protect its customers’ information. This standard sets the bar for responsible data governance practices that protect personal information in a rapidly changing digital landscape,” said Pamela Snively, chief data and trust officer at Telus. “This important work with PwC will allow us to create meaningful guidance for stakeholders and build trust with patients.”
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