Case Study: HITS Nova Scotia achieves province-wide patient privacy protection and streamlined EHR auditing with FairWarning

Deployment of Privacy Breach Detection across Nova Scotia’s Hospital System

Health Information Technology Services – Nova Scotia (HITS-NS) manages the province’s centrally hosted health IT network for nine district health authorities, the IWK Children’s Hospital and 40+ hospitals serving over 20,000 staff. They struggled with slow, paper-heavy privacy investigations, limited and short-lived audit logs, and mounting regulatory requirements (provincial PHIA and national EHR standards), creating a need for a standardized, more proactive auditing solution.

Following an RFP, HITS-NS deployed FairWarning across the DHAs and provincial EHR to provide cross-system searches, customizable reports, email alerts, and consolidated access records to fulfill patient requests. Paired with clear audit processes, stakeholder engagement, and enriched data (HR and master patient index), the program improved detection and investigations, increased deterrence and accountability for misuse, and strengthened overall patient privacy protections.

HITS Nova Scotia

Alison Shea

Privacy Officer, Capital District Health Authority