BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
Your Data Your Rights
Do I have a right to access my records held by hospitals or other government facilities?
You have a right to access your medical records held by a hospital, clinic or care facility operated by the government, or in the electronic health record (EHR) system. Your right to access is limited when there is a legal reason that the information in the record should not be given to you.
You must request access to personal health information from the organization that holds it.
Figuring out where to send your request can be tricky. One way to find out where to send your request is to look on the website of the health authority or facility; however, some hospitals and health authorities do not post a link on their website to their Access and Privacy Office or give any instructions on how to request access from them.
If you cannot locate the person responsible for access requests for a hospital or facility, then contact the organization and ask who or where to send personal health information requests.
If you believe your access to information or privacy rights has been violated, you can file for a review or complaint to the Office of the Information Privacy Commissioner for BC (OIPC). Generally, it is beneficial for all parties to try to resolve the issue directly before contacting the OIPC.
For more information, please visit our health information resource or our complaints and reviews resource.
Updated 2024.07. 27
These pages were last updated and reviewed in the summer of 2024.
The information on these pages only contains general information and guidance; none of the information constitutes legal advice. If you have a specific issue that you believe is a legal problem, the best practice is to consult a lawyer.
The information is non-partisan, dynamic and ever changing. It is the result of FIPA’s research and public education programs.
If you note something that needs to be added, corrected, or removed, please contact us by email: fipa AT fipa.bc.ca.
