CALGARY—A lab assistant with Calgary Laboratory Services has been slapped with a $3,500 fine for inappropriately accessing health records of 11 Albertans.

According to a release sent from the province on behalf of the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner, Alaa Hammoud pleaded guilty to the offence of “knowingly gain(ing) or attempt(ing) to gain access to health information in contravention of the (Health Information) Act” on Jan. 15, 2019.

The lab assistant was found to have accessed the health records between July 18, 2016 and Sept. 5, 2017 in Chestermere and Calgary.

The breach was initially discovered by his employer through a routine audit of access to the electronic health record system. Lab Services reported the breach to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner and notified the individuals affected by the breach.

Four of the individuals — after discovering that their health information had been breached — submitted complaints to the Privacy Commissioner, who then opened an offence investigation and submitted its findings to Crown prosecutors at Alberta Justice.

They laid charges in August 2018.

This was the 10th conviction under the Health Information Act.

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