Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war - encryption of collegial communication looms in Ontario

Dangerous posting on many levels. First look at the image below and ask yourself the following two questions: 1,,) Does everyone in Ontario receive this, which would imply that email is mandatory for dental offices in Ontario which for all intents and purposes it should be but unless I’ve missed the advisory notice – is not!, and 2) why would you be allowed to unsubscribe from a missive from a licensing body? I have only heard what slips through the cracks re; the committee involved in enacting the legislation re; EHR and encryption; however, I have to ask two additional questions; 1) why has the legal society in Ontario not been the first out of the gate with this type of legislation considering the nature of legal communications on all levels and 2) why do lawyers not lose their licence to practice for sleeping with their wife/client…..I sense a massive inequity and truly am confused.

I believe it reasonable for a consultant from the IT industry to be involved with the computer software vendors in Canada to create a common backend code for charting and a specific encrypted email application to facilitate EHR anon, but surely to goodness, someone has to recognize the massive boondoggle that awaits if this isn’t enacted correctly. A classroom of children can’t learn to read at a reasonably common level without a standardized text, and yet, legislation for over 8K dentists is to be passed to commit them to a standard of communication….seriously!!!???

I sincerely hope that someone from the computer industry reads this, because nothing would be more exciting to have their commentary on this impending legislation. It’s one thing to have academic knowledge and a facility with the process and a fascination or fiduciary interest in this being implemented; it’s quite another to apply this with kid gloves and ensure that the impact isn’t subversive in terms of cost et al. Privacy act was one thing, couple of forms and we’re increasingly getting used to big brother in Canada, but mandated encryption; fortunately, if you read the posting below, the non-dentoid committee members didn’t understand the scope of what was being proposed and had to table it until they did.