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Your Personal Health Information: What you need to know.
What's in my health record?
Who has access to my health records?
How is my health information protected?
How do I access my health information?

The Health Information Act and your health information 
Calgary Health Region must manage your health information in accordance with law. In Alberta, the Health Information Act sets out clear rules for the collection, use and disclosure of your health information. The Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta ensures that Calgary Health Region complies with the Act. 

What is in my health record? 

Health records are created and kept any time a health professional such as a physician, nurse, dentist, therapist, or psychiatrist assesses or treats you. Health records may include your:

In addition, your records may contain laboratory test results, medications prescribed, and other reports which indicate the results of operations and other medical procedures. Most health records are kept as individual patient or client files, but depending on how many programs or clinics you have been involved with, there may be a number of files about you in a number of different programs in paper, film or electronic form.  In all but a few special cases, staff will only collect your health information directly from you and with your full knowledge. 

Who has access to my medical records? 
Your health information is essential for health professionals in order to determine the cause of your illness, prescribe and obtain the right medications, and give you the treatment or therapy you need to recover. To do this, they will share this information with members of your care team, including outside health providers involved in your care. In severe or emergency cases, it is also very important that this information is available quickly. 
In addition to providing health care, your information may be used by health professionals to educate health care providers, in medical reviews or investigations, or for internal managements purposes (quality improvement, planning, audits, human resource management). Any use of your information by researchers must pass an ethics review. 
Generally, persons or organizations outside of Calgary Health Region or other health agencies in Alberta cannot access your health information without your informed consent, except in specific instances: 
  • When you enter a Calgary Health Region health facility, only family and close friends will be given information about your location and condition, unless you say otherwise. 
  • Your information may be disclosed to comply with a court order or legal proceeding. 
  • Police may only have access to your information to investigate a life-threatening injury to you, so long as you don't say otherwise. 
  • If you are unable to give consent and no-one else is available to represent you, your information may be disclosed only if it is your best interest. 
  • Staff will use or release the least amount of information possible to perform their functions. In some cases, your identity will be removed from the information released. 

Your medical information is shared by a wide range of people both in and out of the health care industry for the provision of the best care possible. Otherwise, access to your records is generally only obtained when you agree to let others see them. You have probably signed "blanket waivers" or "general consent forms" when you have obtained medical care. 

When you sign such a waiver, you allow the health care provider to release your medical information to insurance companies, government agencies and others.
How is my health information protected? 
Calgary Health Region medical staff are professionals with a long tradition of dedication to patient or client confidentiality. Calgary Health Region staff and officials, following confidentiality and security policies, ensure that records containing your health information are kept in secure areas, are handled carefully. and are accessed only by authorized people.
 

Calgary Health Region conducts audits and completes investigations of any reported breaches or weaknesses in our security systems. In addition, for any new system or administrative change that might threaten your privacy as a patient or client, Calgary Health Region completes a comprehensive Privacy Impact Assessment before the change is made

 
Your health information may be included in a number of electronic health databases in Calgary Health Region, and this may be of particular concern to you because such information can often be transmitted widely and easily. However, before someone outside of Calgary Health Region can have access to your electronic record, Calgary Health Region will ask for your consent. 
How do I get access to my own health information? 
You have a right to access and review the accuracy of your own health information. You can make a request anytime by completing the attached form and submitting it to the Health Records unit of the hospital or facility that holds your record.  You can also submit this form to the Calgary Health Region Information and Privacy Office. 
A request for disclosure may be denied only for specific reasons. For example, releasing the information may threaten the health or safety of the patient or others or harm an investigation or review.

This website is a practical guide to Information and Privacy practices within the Calgary Health Region. It is based on the Information and Privacy policies of Calgary Health Region and the Information and Privacy legislation of Alberta. 

The website is NOT a substitute for legal or policy advice.  Always refer to the specific Calgary Health Region Information and Privacy policies or contact  the Information and Privacy Office for specific issues.

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