The risks of email make it important to comply with privacy protection laws.
Q: Can I use Office 365, which is cloud-based? How do I know where Office 365 is storing my email messages and documents?
Office 365 stores your messages and data on your personal computer and syncs this with storage on a server. Recently, Office 365 has made it possible for Canadians to use servers in Canada, rather than global servers. Skype for Business was rebranded as Microsoft Teams.
Q: Can I use Gmail to interact with clients? Can I use cloud-based apps and cloud-based storage such as Dropbox or Google Drive?
If you are employed by a public body in BC, you shouldn’t use Gmail because it is a cloud-based application which runs from global servers. This is also the case for cloud-based apps and cloud-storage.
If you work in the private sector and you don’t have any contracts that require you to follow FOIPPA, you can use Gmail, Dropbox, Google Drive and countless other cloud-based apps. Cloud storage is helpful if you want to access your data from more than one device. It also makes it easy to share data with people in other locations.
Q: I work for a government agency that blocks me from getting any referral documents that are cloud-based. Referrals must be faxed in. Why is this?
Fax machines provide direct communication. If a document is faxed from one place to another, it can be accompanied by an immediate receipt stating that it was received. This is the main reason why health care providers maintain the use of fax machines to transmit sensitive information.
Some health authorities are allowing referral packages to be sent by email. The sender starts by checking that the message will go to the correct person by sending an initial email with a basic greeting. The recipient responds, confirming the identity of the receiver. Once this loop is established, permission to send a whole referral package by email is granted.
Q: Can a private practice accept referrals by email?
Yes, private sector organizations are permitted to send and receive information using email and other cloud-based services. Use services that are encrypted, and password protected.
