CIUSSS Medical Records


We protect your medical chart information.

Welcome to Medical Records Service!

Medical Records service is the legal guardian of your health information.
A professional and dedicated team looks over the confidentiality and security of the information contained in your medical chart.

Your consent is required for any part of your chart to be transmitted to anyone, except for situations authorized by law. (ex..CSST, RAMQ, IVAC.) and each request we receive is carefully analyzed by a medical archivist.

Should you need assistance to complete the consent form, please communicate with us, a medical archivist will gladly explain it to you. (the phone numbers are in the back of the consent forms, which you will find a little below, on this page)

Since the merge as a CIUSSS Centre-Ouest-de-l’Ile-de-Montréal, in April 2015, our professionals have access to your information, but always within the exercise of their functions, during your period of care.

On paper mode, the conservation of your chart is assured by Medical Records service. On electronic mode, we manage the attribution of the access codes based on the job title and the role of each requestor for whom this access is deemed necessary.

Rest assured that the information contained in your medical chart is always consulted with the objective to give you the best care and services possible.

Québec Health Booklet

Did you know that by registering with the  Québec Health Booklet, you can access your laboratory and  medical imaging results, and your list of medication that appears in your file at the pharmacy?

FAQ

This  FAQ is available as a PDF.

What is a  Medical Chart

A medical chart contains different reports about a user’s health. These reports are available in the paper chart or on computer, in an electronic version.

How can I get copies of my records?

Send a written request in Medical Records services of the proper site, Release of information sector.
(see addresses of sites)

By mail:

[address of the site]
To the attention of Medical Records:

In Person:

Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ( * JGH site: 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.)
Monday to Friday (except holidays)

By email:
You can use this email address  Divulgation.archives.ccomtl@ssss.gouv.qc.ca to send your Request for information form, properly signed and dated, for any of our Medical Records department.

We will make sure to assign it to the proper team.  An email alone, without a signed and dated form attached to it, is not an acceptable request.

Can a request be sent by fax?

We accept requests by fax but will not sent back requested information by this mean. This process is only applicable in urgent cases between physicians and other establishments. 

What is the delay to obtain a copy of a medical records?

We answer requests within twenty days upon reception. Please note that in case of an emergency, and with your consent as you are consulting him/her, a physician from a private office can call our department and the information will be sent to him/her by fax at once.

What should I include in my request?

  • Complete name of the user
  • Birth date 
  • Medicare number
  • Site/ Hospital chart number, if possible
  • Exact information you are looking for [1]
  • To whom the information should be sent:
    • Family name and first name
      Full address
      or
      Fax or phone number (in case of emergency)
      Signature of the person who has the legal right to sign for this request

Who must sign the request? [2], [3]

A. If the user is less than 14 years of age:  

  • A parent (father or mother) or,
  • The legal guardian or,
  • The Director of Youth Protection.

B. If the user is 14 to 18 years of age:

  • The user himself/herself or,
  •  The parents of a mentally deficient person or,
  • The legal guardian or,
  • The Director of Youth Protection, or
  • Close relative of a dependent user.

C. If the user is 18 years of age or over:

  • The user himself/herself or,
  • A legal guardian or,
  • A close relative of a dependent user or,
  • A person carrying out a mandate for a dependent user 18 years of age or over, or
  • A person showing a particular interest in the dependent user of 18 years of age or over.

** Wife/Husband: User’s written consent is needed.

Cost

There is no charge for the first twenty (20) pages (paper).

Depending of the request, other specifics charges can apply.
Please communicate with Medical Records Services.

Certificates

A birth or death certificate can be obtained from the

Registrar of Civil Status
2050 Bleury, Montreal, QC H3A 2J5

Tel: 514-864-3900 or in Quebec City Tel : 418-643-3900.
Website:   etatcivil.gouv.qc.ca

N.B. The hospital can provide an Attestation of Death.
There is a charge for this service.

Family doctor

Your family doctor needs your written consent to have access at your medical chart of one of our CIUSSS sites.

This said, if he/she refers you here for imaging or lab tests, the results will be sent to him/her automatically. 

Adoption

We cannot legally give out any information identifying the natural parents of an adopted user.

Requests must be sent to the Youth Center, Adoption sector.

Deaths

After the death of a user, the medical chart is less accessible because of certain laws. [4]

To ask for corrections

Any user finding a mistake in facts in a certain situation in the medical chart can ask for a correction, by contacting the Medical Records Services, Release of Information sector [5],[6]

Reading of the chart by the patient (or representative)

It is possible, by appointment with the Medical Records Services, to read your medical chart. There is no charge for this visit. [7] 

Please communicate with Medical Records services of the proper site for the exact procedure to follow.

How long does a chart remain accessible?

Legally speaking, certain parts of the chart always remain available even if the chart becomes inactive or if the user dies.

Access refused/Request for Revision  [8], [9]

See references below.  These Acts may be found at Les Publications du Québec bookstores.

Fiche Info Santé

Our CIUSSS is responsible to answer requests for the Montreal area.
These requests must be sent to the designated medical archivist to the following

Fax number: 514-380-5202 

or

Phone number 514-731-8531 ext. 48484

Vaccination Registry

See the  Quebec vaccination registry.


[1] An Act Respecting Access to Documents Held by Public Bodies and the Protection of Personal Information, Article 42
[2] An Act Respecting Access to Documents Held by Public Bodies and the Protection of Personal Information, Article 53
[3] An Act Respecting Health Services and Social Services, Articles 12, 21, 22, 23
[4] An Act Respecting Health Services and Social Services, Article 23
[5] An Act Respecting Access to Documents Held by Public Bodies and the Protection of Personal Information, Article 89
[6] Civil Code of Quebec, Article 40
[7] An Act Respecting Access to Documents Held by Public Bodies and the Protection of Personal Information, Articles 83, 84, 85
[8] An Act Respecting Health Services and Social Services, Article 27
[9] An Act Respecting Health Services and Social Services, Article 18

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