Data Governance
Sector-governed and built on trust
OnSPARK is built on the simple principle that the organizations that contribute long-term care data should have a meaningful role in how that data is governed and used.
OnSPARK uses a co-governance model that brings together long-term care providers, research and health system partners, and privacy, security and technical expertise.
Our governance is guided by five principles
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Accountability
Clear responsibilities and compliance with applicable privacy requirements and data-sharing agreements
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Transparency
Open and documented governance and data-use decisions
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Co-governance
Participating LTC homes have a meaningful role in data access and platform priorities
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Security
Strong safeguards, access controls and ongoing privacy and security assessments
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Respect
Resident dignity, data minimization and ethical use guide all data activities
Data ownership
Participating Long Term Care Homes/Health Information Custodians (HICs) retain full custodianship of the data they contribute to OnSPARK.
McMaster University serves as the data trustee for secure storage and approved access. Data Sharing Agreements define how data can be used, and HICs retain approval rights over projects accessing their data.
Responsible data use
OnSPARK data may support:
Quality improvement and operational insights
OnSPARK Portal benchmarking and reporting
REB-approved research
Policy evaluation with appropriate approvals
Trusted data. Shared stewardship. Better outcomes.
Our data governance approach ensures that information is managed responsibly, securely and transparently, supporting quality improvement, research and system learning while protecting resident privacy.