Echidna and Privacy

Thanks Aleks and Lynn. I've read the attached Echidna document about the separation of notes. A question - which of the 3 options is the proposed option at this stage? Option 1: Restrict other staff from accessing CoS notes?

Not sure Renee. Just getting member feedback atm.

I'm wondering if part of the process of handing over is a create an admin password to access thst account until it is allocated. Therefore, the information can be accessed via the coaches or Echidna admin.

My suggestion is for all staff to submit passwords to admin when they are generated to only be used if hand over is given to participants to another member or member resigns. This will give access to case notes following the exit of a staff member, or hand over of participant by an admin team so these historical case notes can be viewed only by those who need to know.

My first impression is to go black and white, hit the privacy button, no need to answer questions later.

Hi All just to respond to some of the questions about. We would be looking at the 3rd options eg Cossies can see each others notes, but can't see BIS or Psych - this is where the confidentiality issue is as there should be a separation between these different areas of work. The issue we have is if a Cossie leaves, the incoming person cannot see previous notes unless an Admin prints them off, there is no way around this other than a printed version, which isn't ideal. Giving passwords to Admin, etc won't overcome this issue. The confidentiality agreement we all sign when starting with Jeder addresses issues of information being visible by Cossies, BIS etc. Think of it as a filing system, if we were sharing an office and I was going on leave, I could hand my file to the person covering me with all the relevant info they needed to carry on, but for those working in a different office, they wouldn't have this access.

Thanks for the update Lynn. if I give my user name and password, is the person able to see my notes or not? Could be part of the handover to create a new password with the staff user name for the purpose to access the information?

Similarly, if I'm going on holiday and I would like someone to be the contact person. I could easily give them my user name and password. Would this enable them to see my notes or not?

Fran I don't believe giving others our password is an acceptable business practice. Currently Echidna Admin users can access all areas of Echidna, including all file notes, so the need for others' passwords isn't necessary. The proposal you've suggested still won't overcome the new/fill in person being able to see notes, unless printed (which isn't really efficient).

The suggestion put forward is what other orgs who use Echidna are currently using. This is a recent addition to Echidna due to other outside users requesting the differentiation between different users access to notes, which is meeting industry, regulatory and audit standards. The sharing of passwords, printing off file notes, etc is really not ideal, nor needed as Echidna can do this all for us, by simply turning on this operation.

Thanks again Lynn.

I did not mean to give or share the password as it may have been interpreted.

I guess a different question that may not belong to this dialogue is when a "file note" should be made "private"?

I agree that we have all signed confidentiality agreements and that binds us to be respectful of this. I don't agree with giving passwords as this becomes another job for someone to do, keep a record of them. I believe permissions should be that only the member can see their own people's notes and no one else's. Coaches can see the member's notes they are coaching and their own, no one else's. Admin can see everyone's. If BIS and psych's have confidential information then that can be made private. Printing off for the next person is going to have to be enough. The printed information can be uploaded.