Health Records

Health Records is responsible for maintaining the security, confidentiality and integrity of information in each patient’s health record. In addition, this service area transcribes doctors’ dictation and provides correspondence services to respond to authorized requests for health information. By providing data and analytical reports to other clinical service areas and to government agencies, Health Records effectively supports activities relating to the planning, evaluation, and continuity of patient care, as well as meeting educational and legal interests.

Approximately half of this service area’s six full-time equivalent employees are dedicated to transcription services. The remainder fulfill the other requirements of this service.

Contact Us

Health Records Temiskaming Hospital 421 Shepherdson Road, New Liskeard, ON P0J 1P0 705-647-8121, ext. 2135 releaseofinfo@temiskaming-hospital.com


FAQs

  • TH respects your right to access your personal health information within its’ custody and control. Personal health information is any verbal, written or electronic information about you, your health or health care history. This includes your name, date of birth, address, phone number and OHIP number. It also includes tests, treatment and care information or personal and family information that you or your family/substitute decision-maker has told your doctor or other people involved in your care.

    You can ask to look at your record(s) or request copies of your personal health information. A fee may apply. You can make a request by completing the Request for Access to Personal Health Information form and mailing it, or dropping it off, with an original signature to:

    Attn: Health Records Temiskaming Hospital 421 Shepherdson Road New Liskeard, ON P0J 1P0

    Phone: 705-647-8121 Ext. 2135 (Health Records Clerk)

    Fax: 705-647-4154

    Request Form

    Request for Access to Personal Health Information

    • Patients or their eligible substitute decision makers/Power of Attorney and/or executor of estate are entitled to access their health information. Some requests may be subject to approval by the health care provider.

    • All requests must be made in writing by completing the Consent for Release of Personal Health Information form.

    • Records are processed according to medical priority sequencing and will be completed in a timely manner. In accordance with the “Personal Health Information Protection Act” PHIPA, we have up to 30 days to process a completed request, but we strive to complete your request as soon as possible. Please discuss timelines further with the Health Records Clerk.

    • Health Records staff are unable to interpret or advise on health issues or on the care documented in the records. We recommend that health information be reviewed in conjunction with your health care provider, so that interpretation may be provided if necessary.

    • E-mail is not considered a safe and secure means of communication. We do not use e-mail to respond to requests for health records.

    • Completed requests can be mailed, faxed or hand-delivered to the Temiskaming Hospital to the attention of the Health Records Department.

    Additional information regarding fees:

    • Payment of fees is required prior to the release of documentation.

    • Every effort will be made to provide a fee estimate when the fees of processing your access request are expected to exceed $30.00.

    • If estimated fees are greater than $100, a deposit of 50% of the total estimated fee may be required before any further steps are taken to respond to the request.

    HER-6 Charges for Information Requested from Health Records

  • You can ask to have your personal health information corrected as appropriate. For example, we can correct your date of birth but we cannot correct an opinion or an observation made by a health care professional in good faith about a patient.

    Request for Correction to Personal Health Information

    What is a Freedom of Information request?

    A freedom of information request is a request completed by a member of the public for access or a correction to records. A freedom of information request does not apply to Personal Health Information. If your request is for health records, please view our Privacy and Confidentiality page.

  • Freedom of Information Request Form

    You can request access to general medical records or your personal information or request a correction to your personal information using the Request Form for Correction to Personal Health Information. Once you have completed and signed the form, send it or hand‐deliver it to:

    Privacy Office - Temiskaming Hospital

    Attn: Privacy Officer 421 Shepherdson Road New Liskeard, ON P0J 1P0

    Please include a cheque or money order for the required fee of $5.00. Do not mail cash. All fees are payable to Temiskaming Hospital.

    If your request is for health records, please view the Privacy & Confidentiality page.

    How your request will be processed:

    1. The Privacy Office will log your request and review it to ensure it is complete and If there are any questions, the Privacy Office will contact you to discuss.

    2. The Privacy Office will contact the Health Records department at TH asking them to locate the records and forward to the Privacy Officer.

    3. The Privacy Office will consider exemptions and exclusions and prepare a letter to advise you which of the requested records you are permitted to.

    4. If access is granted in full, you will receive a copy of the record.

    5. If access is granted in part, this means access to some records has been redacted. You will receive a copy of the records, however, information will appear blacked out on your copy. The letter will state the reason why access to specific information was redacted.

    6. In some cases information will be denied in full. If this is the case, the letter of response will explain what exclusion or exemption was applied to arrive at this decision. You will also be advised how to appeal TH’s decision.

    7. TH must respond to your request within 30 days of receiving your formal request. If your request is for a large number of records, requires extensive search, or consultation with an external third party, the time limit may be extended. You will be advised of any time extensions.

  • TH may decide not to release all of the information that you request. In our decision letter, we will cite the sections of FIPPA we are using to withhold the information from you.

    If you disagree, you can then ask the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC) of Ontario to review the decision by making an “appeal”.

    You can do this by writing a letter describing why you are not satisfied with TH’s decision. Alternatively, you may use IPC’s Appeal Form which can be found online at the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.

    Please enclose an appeal fee of $10.00 (for personal information) or $25.00 (for general information) and send your appeal to:

    Registrar

    Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario 1400‐2 Bloor Street East Toronto, ON M4W 1A8 Tel: 416-326-3333 Toll‐free Ontario: 1-800-387-0073