Ottawa’s children’s hospital is reminding staff to follow “best practices” when travelling to the United States and leave their work cellphones and laptops at home.
The federal government is reminding Canadians to take “normal security precautions” when travelling to the United States, and to expect scrutiny from border guards.
CHEO tells CTV News Ottawa it has issued a memo to staff to remind them about “best practices when travelling to the U.S.”
“With increased U.S. border scrutiny and evolving data security risks, we need to ensure the privacy and security of our patients’ sensitive health information and strictly adhere to the established protocols designed to safeguard patient data,” CHEO said.
“Our goal is to reinforce our steadfast commitment to maintaining the highest standards of patient privacy, trust, and regulatory compliance.”
A memo from CHEO president and CEO Vera Etches, seen by Bloomberg News, recommends staff avoid U.S. trips.
“Due to the escalation of issues and volatility in the U.S., CHEO strongly encourages individuals to refrain from travel to that country at this time,” the memo said.
CHEO is telling staff that if travel is necessary, they should log out of hospital applications, ensure laptops don’t include sensitive patient information and change passwords after any inspection. Etches also advises people to leave their current devices at home and take a “burner phone.”
“Be aware that U.S. customs officers have the right to inspect electronic devices upon entering the U.S.,” Etches said in the memo. “This includes full access to anything on the device, including all social media accounts.”
The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) released updated travel advice on Tuesday, warning its members against non-essential travel to the United States.
“Given the rapidly evolving political landscape in the United States and reports of individuals encountering difficulties crossing the border, CAUT strongly recommends that academic staff travel to the U.S. only if essential and necessary,” the association said.
Carleton University says it offers guidance to staff and students about travelling.
“Carleton University offers general guidance to help staff and students protect their data and research while travelling internationally,” the university said in a statement to CTV News Ottawa. “This includes best practices for navigating border crossings and securing devices.”
Data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows crossings from Canada into the United States dropped by 864,000 travellers in March compared to the same month a year ago.
With files from BNN Bloomberg and The Canadian Press
