GHC’s Medical Records Department is responsible for releasing medical records that have been scanned into its Electronic Medical Records System, EPIC. We respect and maintain the confidentiality of your records. The Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) allows you to access health information facilitated through a Release of Information request.
How Do I Request A Copy Of My Medical Records?
To access your medical records, please call GHC’s Medical Records Department at 705-759-5542 to make your request.
Where Can I Pick Up My Medical Records?
Medical records can be picked up at the reception desk at GHC’s 240 McNabb Street location.
Is There A Fee To Request My Medical Records?
If you would like to obtain copies of your medical records, please note that there is a fee of $30 for the first 20 pages and a $0.25 fee for each additional page. This fee can be paid when you come to pick up your records.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once the request has been confirmed, a member of GHC’s Medical Records Department will contact you via telephone to let you know your records are ready to be picked up.
Standard requests are generally completed within a few days to a week – depending on the department’s current workload. Any requests that require a paper chart from the warehouse may take several weeks, as trips to the warehouse are infrequent.
If you believe your record of personal health information is not as accurate or complete as necessary, contact GHC’s Privacy Officer.
The Privacy Officer can be easily reached by email at privacyoffice@ghc.on.ca or by phone at (705) 541-2664 to make any changes to your records.
If you need images from a diagnostic imaging test, you can request them on a CD. If you are requesting these images for a specialist or someone who is part of the Circle of Care, we will not charge you.
However, if you are requesting the images for personal use, the cost is $10.00 for the first set of images and an additional $5.00 for each follow-up image added to the CD.
To request your images, please call 705-759-5556 to get in touch with Diagnostic Imaging.
In order for GHC to release your medical records to a relative, friend, family doctor or another institution, you are required to submit a signed consent form authorizing the release of your information.
This authorization/request form should be filled out and signed by you and a witness, granting GHC permission to share the information with a third party.
It is necessary to submit proof of trustee/executor of the estate or legal signing authority for deceased patients.
Please note that the Power of Attorney for Personal Care for a deceased patient expires upon death.
However, spouses, siblings, and children of deceased patients who are next of kin may access the information if it is needed to make decisions about their own health or their children’s healthcare.
If a patient is unable to sign a consent form, a written and signed request for their information must be submitted along with proof of legal signing authority.
This proof may come in the form of a Substitute Decision Maker (Public Trustee), legal guardian, Power of Attorney for Personal Care, spouse or partner, parent, child, sibling, or another relative.
Location
240 McNabb St. Sault Ste. Marie, ON.
P6B1Y5
T: 705-759-5542
Fax: 705-759-3171
Hours of Operation:
Monday – Friday: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday, Sunday, Holidays: Closed
