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Getting Your Medical Records (view source)
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==Medical records that your doctor keeps== | ==Medical records that your doctor keeps== | ||
To see the medical records your doctor has on you, just ask to see them. Your doctor has a privacy officer—usually the doctor—who will deal with your request. Under the BC Personal Information Protection Act, you have a right to see the information. And the doctor will normally show you the records or give you the information in them. You can also ask for a copy of your records, but the doctor may charge you a fee (set by the BC Medical Association) to copy them because medical insurance does not pay for this. | To see the medical records your doctor has on you, just ask to see them. Your doctor has a privacy officer—usually the doctor—who will deal with your request. Under the BC ''Personal Information Protection Act'', you have a right to see the information. And the doctor will normally show you the records or give you the information in them. You can also ask for a copy of your records, but the doctor may charge you a fee (set by the BC Medical Association) to copy them because medical insurance does not pay for this. | ||
Accuracy and | '''Accuracy and privacy'''—the law requires doctors to make sure the information in your medical records is accurate and to keep it private. If you think the doctor made a mistake in your medical records, you can ask him or her to make a new entry in the record about your concern. The doctor has to make a note of your request. But once medical information is recorded, it is not supposed to be destroyed or changed based on a patient’s request. | ||
Rarely, a doctor may refuse to give you the information in your medical record, thinking that it could cause immediate or grave harm to your safety or to your physical or mental health. If that happens, and you can’t solve the problem with your doctor, contact the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC. The College’s Complaints Department may be able to help you. The College phone number is 604.733.7758 in Vancouver and 1.800.461.3008 elsewhere in BC. Its website is [http://www.cpsbc.ca www.cpsbc.ca]. | Rarely, a doctor may refuse to give you the information in your medical record, thinking that it could cause immediate or grave harm to your safety or to your physical or mental health. If that happens, and you can’t solve the problem with your doctor, contact the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC. The College’s Complaints Department may be able to help you. The College phone number is 604.733.7758 in Vancouver and 1.800.461.3008 elsewhere in BC. Its website is [http://www.cpsbc.ca www.cpsbc.ca]. | ||
If you still can’t solve the problem, contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC. The Commissioner’s phone number in Victoria is 250.387.5629. The website is [[http://www.oipc.bc.ca www.oipc.bc.ca]] and the email address is info@oipc.bc.ca. Outside of Victoria, call Enquiry BC and ask for the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner. To reach Enquiry BC, call 604.660.2421 in the lower mainland and 1.800.663.7867 elsewhere in BC. | If you still can’t solve the problem, contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC. The Commissioner’s phone number in Victoria is 250.387.5629. The website is [[http://www.oipc.bc.ca www.oipc.bc.ca]] and the email address is [mailto:info@oipc.bc.ca[. Outside of Victoria, call Enquiry BC and ask for the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner. To reach Enquiry BC, call 604.660.2421 in the lower mainland and 1.800.663.7867 elsewhere in BC. | ||
Lastly, you can see a lawyer for legal advice on what to do. | Lastly, you can see a lawyer for legal advice on what to do. | ||
Medical records that a hospital keeps | ==Medical records that a hospital keeps== | ||
To see your hospital records, contact the medical or health records department of the hospital and ask for their information and privacy office or the person in charge of giving out information. If you make a written request, the hospital has 30 days to respond. Usually, you can see your hospital records and get a copy. The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act covers hospital records. Check script 235, called “Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy”, for more on this law. | |||
Accuracy and privacy—the law requires hospitals to make sure the information in your medical records is accurate and to keep it private. The law also gives you the right to ask the hospital to correct any errors or omissions in your records. The hospital has to make a note of your request. But once medical information is recorded, it is not supposed to be destroyed or changed based on a patient’s request. | Accuracy and privacy—the law requires hospitals to make sure the information in your medical records is accurate and to keep it private. The law also gives you the right to ask the hospital to correct any errors or omissions in your records. The hospital has to make a note of your request. But once medical information is recorded, it is not supposed to be destroyed or changed based on a patient’s request. | ||