Since it was for teaching I expect the case studies were always showing typical features of real cases, so there's nothing in the case vignette itself to give it away unless the author picks a funny name or something like that.

Rather it would be the entire form of these short highlight articles that would make you keep searching for a proper citation, unless you're lazy or pressed for time.

Wouldn't citing actual cases be a HIPAA violation? I can see why they would invent example cases, based on real ones, especially if they are fairly pedestrian cases.

I mean. Except if your pedestrian example does not reflect reality, then that is bad.

HIPAA is American, not Canadian.

It's a privacy violation to reveal information that identifies the patient. It is not a violation (and is extremely common) to recount details without noting names, places, or even dates. Unless you already have access to a database of records you won't be able to track it down.

It's even common during talks to display diagnostic images that have had any identifying marks redacted.