Registered Kinesiologists (R.Kins) often work in environments where their professional responsibilities may not always align with their employer’s needs and interests. This can create challenges, especially when it comes to protecting patient/client privacy.

As an R.Kin, we would like to invite you to consider the following scenario:

Scenario

Gill is an R.Kin who works in an office setting. Gill provides a variety of services, such as:

• General exercise classes,
• One-on-one exercise assessment and prescription,
• Ergonomic assessments, and
• Workplace injury prevention and risk management.

Gill’s employer is interested in collecting information about workplace injury prevention. They have asked Gill to provide reports that include which employees received advice and why the advice was sought.

This request raises important questions about privacy, confidentiality, and professional obligations.

Key considerations

As an R.Kin, Gill must practise in accordance with:

• COKO’s Practice Standards,
• COKO’s Code of Ethics, and
• Applicable privacy laws, such as the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA) and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, 2000 (PIPEDA))

A key question Gill should ask is:

Is the employer asking for personal or personal health information that can only be shared with the employee’s consent?

Potential Actions

Gill could respond by:

• Considering the request through the lens of the COKO’s Code of Ethics
• Reviewing COKO’s Practice Standards and Practice Guidelines related to privacy and confidentiality
• Pointing out any concerns where the request may not align with professional or legal requirements
• Working with the employer to find a solution that complies with COKO’s Practice Standards and any other applicable laws.

Working together

Sometimes, R.Kins may encounter employer policies, procedures, or requests that are not fully aligned with COKO’s Practice Standards and Practice Guidelines. Often, these situations can be resolved through open communication and collaboration.

By working together, R.Kins and their employers can create a workplace that upholds professionalism, ethics, and practice standards, while still meeting organizational goals.