

If you are 16 or older, you would need to make an Individual Personal Health Information (PHI) Access Requests to see the records. So, yes, somewhere there is a centralized record of everything you’ve used your Health Card for in the past 7 years. While they don’t keep track of any diagnoses you receive, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care maintains a record for up to 7 years of your OHIP claims submitted by and paid to health care providers. Having and using an Ontario Health Card allows a clinic to bill the government for providing you health care. Health care providers require you to sign a Consent to Release Information form before they can disclose your personal health information to anyone outside your circle of care. Generally, no one outside a clinic, including a relative or friend, can see your medical records without your permission. If you were under 18 at your last visit, clinic records are kept for 10 years and mental health records are kept for 7 years after your 18th birthday.

That said, even though health care providers shouldn’t tell anyone (including parents/guardians) about your personal medical information, it can happen that clinicians may share information (like some emergencies). If you’re over 16, then only you can decide who views or shares your personal health info.

If you’re under 16, then they have implied consent (which can be revoked) to view or share your personal health info. where it is permitted under legislation, without the client’s or substitute decision-maker’s consent orĪ “substitute decision-maker” would be your parent or legal guardian.when they have the client’s or substitute decision-maker’s express consent and it is necessary for a lawful purpose.No matter what your reason is for wanting to keep it private, we believe that you should be in control of who finds out about your personal health information, even your parents.Īnd the government largely agrees! They say that a health care provider can only share a client’s personal health information: This is a question we get all the time! Teens can experience all kinds of different outcomes if their parents find out about their sex life, everything from an awkward conversation to genuine concerns about personal safety (like getting kicked out of the house, being forced onto birth control, etc). Will this go on my permanent health record? Can my parents look at that? I want to go to the doctor for like an STI test or birth control, but I’m 16 and my parents can’t find out about it. FAQ: Can my parents access my health records?īy Teen Health Source FAQ: Hi there.
