Changing clinics, seeking a second opinion, disputing incorrect information, or simply finding out what’s in your medical records: in all these cases, you need to get your hands on your medical file. The right to access it exists, and it is well-established. What stands in the way is almost never the law itself—it’s not knowing whom to ask, how to go about it, and what you can demand when you disagree with what you read there.
On this page
- Where is your file located? — There's more than one
- The Right of Access and Its Limits
- How to Apply
- Transferring Your Medical Records to Another Clinic
- Correcting Inaccurate Information
- When a third party requests your file
- After a death
- Myths and misconceptions
- Frequently asked questions
Where is your file located? — There's more than one
This is the reason most attempts fail. There is no single, centralized medical record system in Quebec: each facility that has treated you maintains her part.
| Holder | What's Inside |
|---|---|
| Clinic or doctor's office | Consultation notes, orders, results received |
| Hospital | Hospitalizations, emergency visits, surgeries, imaging |
| Laboratory | Analyses Performed |
| Pharmacy | History of Medications Dispensed |
| Government Health Portal | A partial overview: medications, lab tests, imaging, vaccinations |
The government portal does not replace the file
It provides a quick and useful overview of certain details, but it does not include your doctor’s consultation notes, which are often the core of what you’re looking for. For a second opinion or a referral, you’ll need to contact the clinic.
The Right of Access and Its Limits
Every person has the right to access their own health information. This right is subject to certain conditions and includes a small number of strictly defined exceptions.
- Serious harm to health. Access may be temporarily restricted if the disclosure could cause serious harm—a rare exception that must be justified and does not constitute a permanent denial.
- Information about a third party. Information concerning another person may be redacted before disclosure.
- Professional's personal notes. Some working notes are not included in the submitted file.
A refusal must be supported by a written explanation
If a facility or clinic refuses your request, it must explain why in writing and inform you of your options for appeal. A verbal refusal without justification is not in compliance with the law, and in such cases, you should file a complaint with the Commission d’accès à l’information.
To remember
- There is no single file: each healthcare facility maintains its own portion.
- The request must be made in writing to each license holder, along with a form of identification.
- A copying fee may be charged, but there is no charge for on-site consultation.
- A denial must be supported by a written explanation and must indicate the available appeal process.
- You cannot have an accurate grade removed, but you can have an inaccuracy corrected and have your comments added to the record.
- An employer or insurer never has access to the complete file—only to the relevant information, with specific consent.
How to Apply
- Identify each holder whose records you want—clinic, hospital, or lab.
- Write a request Please specify your identity, the time period in question, and the type of documents you want. Requesting «my entire file from the very beginning» will prolong the processing time and increase the fees.
- Attach proof of identity. No institution issues a file without verifying it.
- Specify the desired shape : on-site access, paper copy, digital copy.
- Keep a record from the date of mailing: response deadlines begin upon receipt.
Fees
On-site consultation is free. Copies may be charged at a regulated rate based on volume. If the amount seems disproportionate, you may contest it—this is a valid grounds for a complaint.
A well-prepared case file makes a difference in the quality of a consultation. For a second opinion or treatment, the online consultation allows for a quick assessment, and the appointment scheduling at our service locations in Quebec, you can take an in-person exam. The terms and conditions for organizations are detailed in our offers for businesses.
Transferring Your Medical Records to Another Clinic
Visit transfer follows a different logic of access: the goal is not to obtain a copy for oneself, but to share information between two professionals.
- It is usually the new clinic that requests the medical records from the previous one, with your written authorization.
- The former clinic does not «lose» the file: it forwards a copy and retains the original in accordance with the prescribed retention periods.
- The transfer isn't instantaneous. Plan for it before an appointment rather than the day before.
- A professional who ceases practice must ensure that records are preserved and accessible—retirement does not make your records disappear.
What's Worth Transferring
When it comes to patient care, the essentials are often contained in just a few pages: a list of current conditions, current medications, allergies, surgeries, recent test results, and the latest follow-up notes. Requesting this summary rather than the full medical record speeds up the process.
Correcting Inaccurate Information
The right to correction is the counterpart to the right of access, and it is often overlooked. An error in a health record is not a trivial matter: an incorrectly recorded allergy, a misattributed medical history, or an incorrect dosage recorded can have consequences years later.
| Nature of the Problem | What You Can Get |
|---|---|
| Factual error (name, date, allergy, medical history) | Correction |
| Incomplete information | Add |
| Irrelevant or outdated information | Withdrawal, if not necessary |
| Disagreement with a clinical opinion | No withdrawal, but your written comments will be added to the file |
The last line is the one that’s most often misunderstood. A diagnosis or observation whose accuracy you dispute will not be deleted: it’s a record of what the professional thought at that moment. However, you have the right to include your own version, and it will be included in the file.
When a third party requests your file
Insurance companies, employers, lawyers: this request comes up often, and that’s when people tend to sign off on too much.
- Consent must be specific : What information, to whom, for what purpose, and for how long.
- A general and unlimited authorization is not in compliance. It may be rejected by the file holder.
- An employer is not entitled to the diagnosis. He has the right to know whether you are able to work, what your limitations are, and for how long.
- Consent may be withdrawn, for the future.
After a death
A deceased person’s medical records remain confidential. Access is permitted in specific cases—notably for an heir or a close relative to the extent necessary to exercise their rights, or to verify the existence of a genetic disorder. Access is never complete or automatic, and the request must specify the reason.
Myths and misconceptions
«The medical record belongs to the doctor»
Nuanced. The physical records are held and maintained by the professional or the facility, but the information pertains to you, and you have the right to access and correct it.
«I can have anything I don't like deleted.»
False. You correct an inaccuracy; you do not delete an accurate clinical observation. The proper course of action is to add your comments to it.
«All my medical records are on the government portal»
False. The portal provides a partial view. The consultation notes are not included.
«My file is destroyed after a few years»
Nuanced. Minimum retention periods apply, and they are measured in years. An old record may therefore still exist, even after a clinic has closed.
«Asking for my medical records will upset my doctor.»
False. This is a common practice and a recognized right. It does not need to be justified.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get a response?
The law establishes a response period measured in days from the date the written request is received. If no response is received by the end of this period, the lack of a response is deemed a denial, which triggers the right to appeal.
Can I get my file in digital format?
You may request it. The information must be transmitted securely: sending it via unprotected email is not appropriate for health information.
Can I request my child's school records?
The person with parental authority has access to a young child’s health information. Once a teenager reaches a certain age, they acquire their own rights regarding their health information, and parental access becomes more limited.
What should I do if the clinic is closed?
The records must have been transferred to an assignee or a custodian. The professional association of the practitioner in question can indicate who now holds them.
What should you do if your application is denied?
Request a written denial stating the reasons, then file a complaint with the Commission d’accès à l’information. For services received within the public system, another option is to file a complaint with the facility’s ombudsman.
Do I need to explain why I want my file?
Not for access to your own information. The reason becomes relevant only when a third party requests access, or in the case of a deceased person’s file.
Sources
- Quebec Commission on Access to Information
- Government of Quebec — Health Record
- Quebec College of Physicians — Record-Keeping
- Order of Nurses of Quebec
- Ombudsman
- Éducaloi — Patient Rights
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