Last reviewed in March 2023 by the Clicklaw editors

Many people think that their medical records are their own property, but they actually belong to the doctor or hospital that made them. However, the information in the medical records belongs to you, and normally, you have a right to see that information.

Good starting points include:

• Getting Your Medical Records, a Canadian Bar Association BC Branch factsheet, outlines who owns medical records, and what you can do if you have a problem getting access to your medical records.
• Medical Records, from People's Law School, provides information about accessing your medical records and who has access to them.

Need more help?

• Call the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC at 604-733-7758 (Vancouver) or 1-800-461-3008 (elsewhere in BC) for questions about getting your medical records from your doctor.
• Contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC) for British Columbia if you have a complaint about your medical records kept by a hospital. Call 250-387-5629 (in Victoria), or Enquiry BC at 1-800-663-7867 and ask for a transfer to the OIPC.

See our related common questions:

• See all common questions about health
• See all common questions about privacy & access to information

tags

medical records, access to your medical records, personal health information, privacy