Skip to main content

Protecting Your Privacy & Personal Information

 

 

Privacy in the Hospital

Privacy 

If you are a patient in the hospital or residential care, it is standard practice to give people who phone and ask about you, information confirming your admission and location. If you do not wish us to give out this information, please tell the Admitting clerk or someone in your care area.

Protecting your Health Information

Your Health Information

We take all reasonable steps to make sure that your personal information is treated confidentially, is only used for these specific purposes and is securely stored as directed by the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA). 

Collecting, using and sharing your personal information 

When you receive care, treatment and services at any of our hospitals, we collect personal information from you. We may also request information about you from other health care providers and organizations. (e.g. copies of records, medications, test results). 

Your information may be put into our electronic health system to assist doctors or other healthcare providers to quickly access your information wherever you receive care or services. 

We collect your personal information only as authorized under section 26(c) of the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (“FIPPA”). We collect, use and share your personal information for these reasons: 

  • to confirm your identity (e.g. Ministry of Health Services)
  • to provide ongoing care and support 
  • to help us plan, maintain and improve our care and services 
  • to keep in contact with you about your health care 
  • for education and training (e.g. medical students) 
  • to do research with consent or as permitted by law 
  • to see if you are eligible for benefits and services and to arrange billing 
  • to help measure and fund healthcare (e.g. Canadian Institute of Health Information) 
  • to study and control disease outbreaks and monitor the overall health of people 
  • as required by law (e.g. court order or for some reportable conditions) and as authorized by FIPPA

Your health information will be provided to the doctor who referred you and to authorized health care providers involved in your care to ensure your care is consistent and continuous. In some cases, these health care providers may look up your information in our electronic health systems. 

eHealth and Your Information 

eHealth is a provincial initiative that allows certain aspects of your health information to be accessed by authorized health care professionals throughout the province and not just within a particular region. Each Health Authority sends specific health information to a province-wide electronic information system where it is stored with strict protections and used for limited and authorized purposes. For more information about eHealth, please visit the government eHealth website at http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/ehealth.

Accessing Your Health Info
Request to access patient's file

To request information from your medical file, or your baby's medical file, by printing the Release of Information Authorization Form. Once complete, fax or mail it to the Hospital where you are making the request (instructions and a contact list are included with the release of information form). 

Please note that due to the volume of requests received, it can take four weeks or more to process release of information. For privacy reasons, DO NOT send personal medical information by email. 

Tab Heading

 

 

SOURCE: Protecting Your Privacy & Personal Information ( )
Page printed: . Unofficial document if printed. Please refer to SOURCE for latest information.

Copyright © BC Women's Hospital. All Rights Reserved.

    Copyright © 2024 Provincial Health Services Authority.