Don’t have a copy of your medical record? You’re not alone. Health experts say it should be an election issue
When a cyberattack targeted multiple hospitals in southwestern Ontario in October 2023, Kale McMurren found himself in a difficult situation. His cancer treatment, which was being managed through Windsor Regional Hospital, had to be moved to another health-care center two hours away in London. The attack had taken down the hospital systems, rendering McMurren’s digital health records inaccessible.
In order to transfer his medical history to the hospital in London, hard copy files had to be faxed over. McMurren expressed that if he had his own copy of his medical records, he could have easily brought them himself to London, which would have streamlined the process. “I agree that having [my] medical records would help me in [that] situation,” he said.
The cyberattack highlighted the importance of patients having access to their medical records. The incident showcased the vulnerability of the health-care system and the potential consequences of not having readily accessible medical information. The five hospitals targeted in the attack informed hundreds of thousands of patients that doctors might not have access to past records, medical history, medication lists, or reports from other clinicians involved in their treatment.
Legislation was in progress before the federal election to enshrine patient access to medical records into law, but it was set aside when Parliament was prorogued. Patient advocates and experts are hopeful that the issue will become a priority for the next elected government, although there has been little mention of it during the election campaign.
Access to medical records remains a challenge in Canada, with only 47% of Canadians having accessed some of their medical information digitally. Canada Health Infoway, a government-funded organization working on a connected health-care system, aims to standardize and digitize health records across the country. The goal is to create a comprehensive real-time view of an individual’s health record, which can improve the efficiency of the system and empower patients to be more informed and engaged in their health care.
Comprehensive health records can help prevent medical errors and improve patient care by ensuring that all health-care providers have access to relevant information. Patient adviser Flavie Laliberté likened the sharing of patient data to a game of hockey, where each player needs to share data to score and improve efficiency.
Despite the benefits of patient access to medical records, Canada lags behind other countries like Denmark and Spain in implementing legislation and advanced technological systems. The Connected Care for Canadians Act, which would have allowed patients to securely access their health information and facilitate information sharing among health-care providers, was put on hold due to Parliament being prorogued.
The lack of progress in Canada is attributed to a failure to prioritize patient needs, with individual provider organizations and companies often taking precedence. Changing this culture and overcoming legislative barriers to information sharing between provinces are some of the challenges faced in advancing digital health records in Canada.
The upcoming federal election will determine the future of legislation regarding patient access to medical records. While the Liberal Party has committed to introducing legislation to ensure Canadians can securely access their health care data, the NDP and Green Party also support better access to patient information. The Conservative Party did not respond to requests for comment on their plans for digital health records.
In conclusion, the cyberattack on hospitals in southwestern Ontario brought to light the importance of patient access to medical records. As Canada works towards digitizing and standardizing health records, it is crucial to prioritize patient needs and ensure seamless information sharing across the health-care system.
