PRP Information Sharing Policy

Policy Governance

Version: V2.0
Effective Date: January 11, 2023
Ministry Contact:
Approved By: Heather Richards, Executive Director, PPM Branch, HSIAR
Approved On: January 3, 2023; e-Approval #71689

 

Table of Contents

 

Purpose of Policy

The purpose of this policy is to provide all parties who have access to the Provider Reporting Portal (PRP) instruction on the dissemination of PRP report information. It is important that all users of the PRP understand this policy as failure to comply can result in removal of access (see ).

 

PRP Report Product Security Levels

All PRP report products include an Information Security Classification Level and Access Level. Both levels are included within a banner at the top of each product, similar to the below:

Information Security Classification Levels

The Information Security Classification Levels provide a common standard classification of government information (as defined under the ). The standard describes four levels of security classification based on the degree of harm that could reasonably be expected to result from unauthorized disclosure.

  Level Description
  Public No harm to an individual, organization or government

Examples: Job postings, communications to claim clerks, business contact information, research and background papers (without copyright restrictions)
Confidential Protected A Harm to an individual, organization or government

Examples: Home addresses, dates of birth, other low-risk personal information
Protected B Serious harm to an individual, organization or government

Examples: Law enforcement and medical records, personnel evaluations and investigations, financial records, information subject to solicitor-client privilege or other legal privilege
Protected C Extremely grave harm to an individual, organization or government

Examples: Information about police agents and other informants, Cabinet records or Cabinet-related records

 

Most report products housed within the PRP are classified Protected A (Confidential), meaning they have been deemed to have harm to an individual, organization, or government if unauthorized disclosure occurs. A small number of reports are classified Public. Content classified as Protected B or Protected C are not appropriate for, nor will they be published to, the PRP.

 

Access Levels

Access levels clearly define the individuals who have direct read-only access to PRP report products. All dashboard/report products housed within the PRP have been designated with an access level of Ministry of Health, Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions and staff of B.C. regional health authorities, First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) and Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA).

 

PRP Report Product Citing

Ministry of Health Employees

Ministry of Health employees can reference PRP report products within official government documentation. The report product should be cited as follows:

Ministry of Health. Report ID: <Insert Report ID>. <Insert Report Title>. Retrieved from: <Insert URL Data Cited From>. Last accessed on <Insert Date YYYY-MM-DD> <Insert Time HH:MM:SS AM/PM>

PRP report products contain a citation button, found at the top right hand corner of a report page (image below). The use of the citation button will redirect users to a PRP report information page; this information page will contain the PRP report citation.

Please be aware of the following PRP report citation disclaimer found on all PRP reports:

Data values in PRP dynamic reports are subject to change based on data refresh schedules. To document an PRP report for evidence of decision making, take a screenshot and retain it in alignment with the record management guidelines for your area. PRP data used in reports must also cite the PRP appropriately. Click the citation button located on the top right side of the report page to obtain the correct citation for an PRP report

 

Government Communications and Public Engagement (GCPE) Requests

As per all GCPE requests that include data, Ministry of Health program areas are to provide HSIAR with their intended response to any GCPE requests that make use of PRP report information for HSIAR Executive Director and/or Assistant Deputy Minister approval.

 

Health Authority Partners

Health authority partners are permitted to cite PRP report information if the intent is to retransmit or circulate internally within their organizations. This can be done without express written approval by HSIAR. Other sharing of PRP report information is not permitted with the general terms and conditions for PRP as many reports contain information that is confidential and privileged.

Health authority partners are to request approval for sharing by navigating to HSIAR's Request Management System (RMS) to submit a request.

 

Access to PRP for Ministry of Health Employees

Ministry of Health employees can use PRP report products to guide program area decision making, inform policy creation or updates, and as a resource when populating fact sheets. All Ministry of Health employees gain access to PRP shortly after their start date and can share report product links and download and share aggregated data with other Ministry of Health colleagues. Access to the PRP is governed by the .

Exceptions
The Office of the Seniors Advocate (OSA) does not have permissions to access PRP. Data requests for OSA are to be submitted to HSIAR's Request Management System (RMS).

 

Sharing externally to the Ministry of Health

All instances of Ministry of Health users sharing PRP report information with partners (i.e., other ministries, health authorities, or third-party organizations, etc.) must be presented to HSIAR for review and written approval prior to program area dissemination. Program areas are to request approval for sharing by navigating to HSIAR's Request Management System (RMS) to submit a request.

 

Access to PRP by Select Other Groups

A select number of BC Public Service employees and health authority partners, external to the Ministry of Health, have access to PRP. Access is time-limited and approved on an individual basis.

BC Public Service employees and health authority partners are prohibited from sharing PRP report information externally without explicit written approval from HSIAR. Requests for approval from HSIAR for sharing are to be submitted to HSIAR's Request Management System (RMS).

 

Others Not Granted Access to PRP

Third Party Partners

Third-party partners (i.e., BC Patient Safety and Quality Control, Doctors of BC, etc.) do not have access to the PRP. Third-party partner inquiries related to PRP report information are to be directed through HSIAR's Request Management System (RMS).

 

The Public

The general public does not have access to the PRP. Public inquiries will continue to be through the official, appropriate channels, i.e., GCPE for media requests, FOIs, etc.

 

Appendix 1: PRP Terms of Use

Copyright © 2022, Province of British Columbia
British Columbia Ministry of Health

Provider Reporting Portal (PRP) Terms of Use

You have been granted access to the Provider Reporting Portal (PRP) where you will be able to access detailed information about British Columbia’s health system.

To protect patient privacy, the PRP only provides access to aggregate (grouped), de-identified (not personally identifiable) data, and not records about individuals.

The privilege to access the PRP comes with responsibilities. As a User of the PRP you acknowledge and agree that:

  • You assume sole responsibility for your use of the PRP and will keep your username and password for the PRP strictly confidential. You will not share your username and password with anyone, and you will not permit anyone else to access the PRP under your User account, using your username and password.
  • You will adhere to the PRP Information Sharing Policy
    • For Ministry of Health employees, all instances of sharing externally to the Ministry of Health (Ministry) must be presented to the Health Sector Information Analysis and Reporting (HSIAR) Division for review and written approval prior to program area dissemination.
    • BC Public Service employees and health authority partners are prohibited from sharing PRP report products, including screenshots, externally without explicit written approval from HSIAR.
    • Third party partners do not have access to the PRP.
    • All PRP sharing requests are to be submitted to HSIAR using the Request Management System (RMS).
    • The general public does not have access to the PRP; public inquiries are to be submitted through the appropriate channel.

In addition to the above PRP Terms of Use, the following copyright notice applies to the PRP:

Copyright © 2022, Province of British Columbia. All right reserved.

This material is owned by the Government of British Columbia and protected by copyright law. It may not be reproduced or redistributed without prior written permission of the Province of British Columbia.

To request permission to reproduce part of any materials on this website, please submit a request to the Health Sector Information, Analysis and Reporting (HSIAR) Division through the Request Management System (RMS).

  • You will not attempt to re-identify records or individuals by any means including, but not limited to, linking records or individuals within the PRP, or linking records or individuals within the PRP data originating from other sources.
  • You will take all reasonable measures to avoid inadvertently re-identifying records or individuals.
  • You need to be aware that, if a report you generate contains small cell sizes with counts fewer than 20 individuals (i.e., an equivalence class of 20), that report may contain personal information. In that situation, you must adhere to all applicable laws and policies. Contact your organization’s legal or privacy department to ensure you are compliant.
  • You will not misrepresent information from the PRP. To ensure that you do not misrepresent information from the PRP, you have a responsibility to read all the relevant background information provided about a PRP report before you use it.
  • You will immediate notify 250-387-7000, your supervisor and of any suspected or known unauthorized access to, use of information or reports generated from the PRP, or any other breach of confidentiality or security.
  • Reports on the PRP are classified in accordance with the Information Classification Standard (issued by the BC Government’s Office of the Chief Information Officer, available at https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/services-for-government/information-management-technology/information-security/information-security-classification). A report’s classification informs you of how it must be handled. You are responsible for familiarizing yourself with the Information Classification Standard and handling information in accordance with this standard.
  • While the information in the PRP has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, the Ministry of Health (the Ministry) is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of such information.
  • The Ministry collects data on usage of the PRP.
  • The Ministry reserves the right to change, update or discontinue any aspect of the PRP at any time without notice.
  • The Ministry does not guarantee continuous availability of the PRP, promise any service level, or identify a time when the system will be available after a service disruption in the event that the PRP is unavailable.
  • The Following disclaimer applies to the PRP: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/home/disclaimer.
  • These Terms of Use apply to all viewed, downloaded, and printed information generated from the PRP.
  • The Ministry reserves the right to change these Terms of Use at any time. Your continued use of the PRP after any such change constitutes your agreement with these Terms of Use, as modified.
  • Your access to the PRP may be revoked:
    • If you fail to adhere to these Terms of Use, or
    • Without any prior notice at the discretion of the Ministry.
  • Any questions about the PRP or these Terms of Use should be directed to: .

Last updated: December 2022