Frequently Asked Questions
Can I access my medical record?
In Alberta, your medical record belongs to the healthcare providers or
institution that create and maintain it. If you've lived in many communities,
or have visited many different physicians and clinics, you will likely have a
number of different medical records. Even though you do not own your medical record(s), the law governing health information in Alberta (The Health
Information Act) grants you the right to access and even to copy your records
under reasonable circumstances. You can also request for the custodian of your medical record(s) to
release your information into the custody of another individual or
organization, like a family member, or an insurance agency. Click HERE for more
information on the legal aspects of Medical Records (from the Calgary Legal Guidance organization).
Click HERE for more information on The Health Information Act of Alberta.
To request the
disclosure of your WB PCN medical record, please call The Wood Buffalo Primary Care Network at 780-714-2193.
I want to speak
to someone directly, who can I contact at the WBPCN?
The Wood Buffalo PCN has a Privacy Officer who is responsible for protecting
confidential information, and for making sure that patient's rights to access
their medical records are respected. This is a legal requirement under the HIA, and all WB PCN patients are welcome to contact the Privacy Officer
with any questions, concerns, or requests. Please call us at 780-714-2193, or
email info@wbpcn.ca.
How do I access
or get a copy of my medical record?
To access or get a copy of your medical record, you need to send a formal
request to whichever clinic or physician protects the specific records that you
are looking for.
What can the
WB PCN provide access to?
The Wood Buffalo PCN can only provide access to medical records in its custody.
We can provide access to the medical records stored in the Wood Buffalo PCN Central Clinic or After Hours Clinic. If you are looking for records
created or stored in other clinics, you will need to contact them directly.
What
information does the Wood Buffalo PCN not have?
The WB PCN does not have access to Medical Records in the custody of family practice clinics, the Hospital, or any clinics and services administered by
Alberta Health Services, such as Public Health.
My Physician
just gave me a copy of some of my records during my last visit, why do I have
to submit a formal request to the WB PCN to access my records?
Physicians will regularly provide patients with, for example, a sheet with their
most recent lab results for purposes of education and to encourage effective
self-management of certain conditions. These are point-of-care disclosures, and
can occur during a visit at the discretion of your physician. The disclosure of
an entire record, however, is a very different situation, and can require a
significant time to prepare and review compared to the printing of your latest
results, as we will need to review your records to determine if there are any
files which we cannot legally disclose.
I need my records
sent to my new healthcare providers, do I have to complete a form for that?
Not necessarily. The HIA allows us to disclose your medical
records to other healthcare providers who are responsible for providing you
with continuing care and treatment. Ask your new clinic or care provider if they can contact us to inform us that you're their patient (780-714-2193), and we will be happy to coordinate with them
directly to transfer your records.
How long will
it take to have my files released?
Under The Health Information Act, custodians of health information have a legal
duty to assist applicants seeking access to their medical records, and have
up to 30 days to respond. While that is our legally-mandated guarantee, our turnaround times
tend to be significantly shorter than that.
More Information
Click HERE for Alberta Health
Services (AHS) Access & Disclosure information.
Click HERE for more information on The Health Information Act of Alberta.
Click HERE for information on how to make an access request with the Office of the
Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta (OIPC): The OIPC performs
legislative and regulatory responsibilities under Alberta's Information Access
and Privacy Acts. They ensure that public bodies and healthcare providers
uphold their information management responsibilities under Alberta law. If you
have concerns, you can contact them directly at 780-422-6860
