A $412-million class action lawsuit has been launched against Rouge Valley Health System less than a month after the Scarborough hospital admitted to a major privacy breach affecting up to 8,300 new mothers.
Michael Crystal, one of the lawyer behind the lawsuit, told CP24 Wednesday that the firm is seeking damages of approximately $49,000 per person and Crystal said the number of affected patients could rise depending how widespread the breach becomes.
“We don’t know how pervasive this issue is,” Crystal told CP24’s Rena Heer.
The hospital came under fire at the beginning of June after admitting that two former employees sold patient information to multiple Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) companies.
Both the Ontario Securities Commission and the Privacy Commissioner of Ontario were notified of the breach, which is said to have occurred over a two-year period.
Crystal said that the hospital has not agreed to release information on the two staff members accused of selling patient information.
In similar cases of hospital privacy breaches in Peterborough and Sault Ste. Marie, Crystal said hospital administrators were more cooperative, swiftly handing over the information requested.
“We may have to go forward with a motion to compel (RVHS) to tell us,” he said.
RVHS has declined to comment on the lawsuit.
The most significant element of the case, Crystal said, is that it has the potential to force hospitals to change policy, potentially preventing future mistakes.
“We want to make sure hospitals are accountable to patients,” he said.
