The Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) provides a general right of access to records in the hospital’s custody or control as of January 1, 2007. There are certain exclusions and exemptions from the right of access. FIPPA also provides a right to the protection of personal information.
The principles of FIPPA are:
- Information should be available to the public
- Exemptions from the right of access should be limited and specific
- Decisions on whether to provide access may be appealed to the Information & Privacy Commissioner/Ontario
- Any person may make a request for records held by an institution subject to FIPPA
- To protect individuals from unauthorized, collection, use or disclosure of personal information and to provide individuals with a right of access to their own personal information
Please note: access to personal health information, such as in a patient’s medical chart, is not available under FIPPA. The Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) applies to a patient’s medical information and the hospital protects medical information in accordance with PHIPA. If you wish to make a request for your own patient chart, please use the PHIPA request process.
