A Calgary chemist was suspended for unlawfully accessing a patient's medical records
A Hearing Tribunal concluded that Park had misused her authority.
A Calgary pharmacist has been suspended for unprofessional conduct by the Alberta College of Pharmacy. Sin Young (Jenny) Park was found to have improperly accessed personal health information without authorization.
The incident occurred when Park, while working with Alberta Health Services (AHS), accessed Provincial Electronic Health Records (Netcare) for an individual who was neither her patient nor someone with whom she had a personal relationship.
A Hearing Tribunal concluded that Park had misused her authority.
Although there was no evidence that she disclosed the individual's health information, her actions were deemed unprofessional and deserving of sanctions.
Despite having no prior record of unprofessional conduct and admitting to her actions, Park received a stringent penalty.
The tribunal issued a reprimand, ordered her to complete an ethics course at her own expense within a year, and required her to pay 25% of the investigation and hearing costs, amounting to approximately $5,900.
In addition, Park received a three-month suspension, with the first month to be served from Dec. 12, 2024, to Jan. 11, 2025.
The remaining two months of the suspension will be deferred, provided there are no further privacy violations within the next two years.
Park is also required to disclose the tribunal's decision to any pharmacy employer or licensee for the next two years.
In a statement, the Alberta College of Pharmacy emphasized that Park’s actions compromised the profession’s integrity, reduced public trust, and showed poor judgment, as regulated members are granted the privilege of accessing health information solely for authorized medical purposes.
