According to a recent audit by the BC Auditor General, the computerized health system of the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority miserably failed to offer appropriate protection to the confidential records.

The record system of VCHA was found to have “serious security weaknesses” that ended up making client information privy to over a thousand users who should otherwise have no access to the same, the report revealed.

“Maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of individuals’ health-care records is profoundly important, so it was of great concern when our examination revealed grave deficiencies in the security of this system”, said Auditor-General John Doyle.

The audit discovered that the system, implemented in the year 2002, failed to grant users access on a "need-to-know" basis.

Mr. Doyle, however, did award points to the VCHA for the "significant effort" demonstrated by the group in addressing most of the issues of the report.