Research Privacy

The Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) Privacy Advisor provides practical guidance on privacy, security and data management, while supporting researchers in navigating legislative and institutional processes and requirements that may affect access to data.

The VCHRI Privacy Advisor assists researchers and facilitates processes, including:

• Utilizing secondary use data from Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) for research projects
• Data linking across multiple agencies or organizations
• Use of third party applications or software
• VCH patient recruitment
• VCH system access
• Data management plans to document digital asset management
• Information sharing plans to share and link data between BC health organizations 
• Privacy impact assessments to ensure research activity meets legislative requirements

Privacy Training

Privacy training opportunities are available and recommended to all researchers.

• The Confidentiality Undertaking for Researchers terms and conditions review is mandatory for all research study team members for projects seeking operational approval at VCHRI and PHCRI.
• Online Privacy Training for Research provides guidance on VCH and PHC privacy and security requirements and best practices. 

Privacy Breach

A privacy breach is the improper or unauthorized collection, use, disclosure, retention or disposal of personal information. To report a privacy breach, fill out the Privacy Breach Reporting Form – Research and email to privacy@vch.ca.  

Guidelines, Tools and Resources

• VCH Overview of Data Available for Research Projects 
• VCH-PHC Data and Research Access Terms and Conditions
• VCH Letter of Initial Contact Guidance Document (for recruitment)
• Privacy and confidentiality guidance for VCHRI researchers working from home
• Portage Data Management Plan Assistant (for Canadian-funded projects) 
• Data Management Plan Tool (for U.S.-funded projects)
• Guidance for Remote Monitoring Requests