Description of
the right

Your medical records include all the information collected about you by healthcare staff. Starting at age 14, you have the right to consult your entire medical records, obtain copies and make copies of its contents. Your consent is required to authorize your parents, or other persons, to consult it.

Delays to access your medical records or obtain copies may vary.

In the public healthcare network, you have the right to get help in order to understand the information contained in your medical records.

 

Access to your records or part of your records may be denied if:

  • consulting your records poses a serious risk to your health (e.g.: risk of suicide),
  • confidential information was provided by another person.

References

Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms: section 44

Act respecting social services and health services: sections 17, 18, 25 and 26

Civil Code of Quebec: sections 38 and 39

Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the protection of personal information: section 83

Professional obligation according to many other professional orders (list of professional orders)