Halifax patient says medical records being held ‘hostage’ after losing family doctor | 24CA News
A affected person of a Halifax clinic is expressing considerations after studying she wouldn’t solely be shedding her household physician, however would additionally should pay lots of of {dollars} to acquire her household’s medical information.
Cornelia Schneider was not too long ago knowledgeable her longtime household physician was closing the observe on the finish of May.
Schneider has since acquired a letter from her physician that states all affected person medical information can be saved and managed by an organization referred to as DOCUdavit Solutions.
Her physician has really useful that sufferers acquire a duplicate of the information, the place the “maximum charge is $95.00 each for the first two patients and $65 for each additional patient, plus applicable taxes and shipping charges.”
Schneider didn’t need to share the title of her physician, however mentioned the clinic is positioned in north-end Halifax.
“Being already upset about losing our family doctor, we also ended up then learning about that we actually have to pay about $350 to actually get our records,” Schneider informed Global News.
She mentioned not solely is she upset she’s being charged cash for her personal information, however she additionally feels as if her non-public data is being held “hostage.”
“In other countries, there’s universal health records systems,” she mentioned.
“If I go to … a walk-in clinic, emergency room — because that’s probably what our first primary care access is going to be in the coming years — then they should have access to that.”
The coverage regarding medical information is printed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia.
Their web site signifies that physicians are “entitled to charge patients or third parties a fee” for acquiring their medical information. It provides that “the charge should reflect the cost of the materials used, the time required to prepare the materials, the cost of sending the materials, and the patient’s ability to pay.”
“I don’t know how they would assess if someone can pay or can’t pay,” mentioned Schneider.
“Our practice is in the north end, I’m sure there are people that are patients there that have a way lower income than our family has — that cannot afford this and will just let it go.”
A information ready by Doctors Nova Scotia for physicians closing their practices says docs should switch information to a affected person in a “timely manner” as soon as requested. Physicians might cost an inexpensive charge, however a “patient’s inability to pay should not prevent the transfer.”
Further, the information says if a affected person doesn’t request their information be transferred and can’t be contacted to advise of the closure, physicians should first try and switch a duplicate to a different doctor on the identical workplace and telephone quantity.
“If this is not possible, the physician can arrange to have records transferred to a storage company,” the information reads.
One Person One Record system
In February, the province introduced it had entered right into a 10-year settlement with Oracle Cerner, a well being data know-how firm, to construct and preserve the One Person One Record system.
The new scientific data system will change or join methods that health-care professionals use to view affected person data.
According to a launch from the province, “One Person One Record will add features over time, including the ability for patients to easily access their own medical records.”
Meanwhile, Schneider mentioned she plans to ask her physician for her medical information upfront throughout her subsequent appointment.
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