Privacy and Security
Information requests
PHIPA access requests
Access requests under the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA)
In Ontario, the handling of personal health information is governed by the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA). PHIPA provides you with a right to access your personal health information and, if you believe the information to be incorrect, to ask for it to be corrected. All requests for accesses or corrections to your personal health information should be directed to the health information custodian (e.g., your primary care provider or family physician) who originally collected the information or who is directly involved in your care and treatment. Please note that eHealth Ontario is not a health information custodian.
For access to information the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) has about you in the Ontario laboratories information system (OLIS), please contact the MOHLTC’s access and privacy office:
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
Freedom of information and privacy coordinator
5700 Yonge Street, 6th floor
Toronto, ON M2M 4K5
Phone: (416)327-7363
To find out what health information custodian has accessed your information in OLIS, please contact your primary care provider.
For access to information the MOHLTC has about you in the Ontario Drug Benefit program (including Trillium Drug program recipients) (ODB) please contact:
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
5700 Yonge Street, 3rd Floor
Toronto, Ontario M2M 4K5
Tel: (416) 327-8109 (in Toronto) or 1-866-811-9893 (toll-free)
Fax: (416) 327-8912 (in Toronto) or 1-866-598-6530 (toll-free)
For access to information pertaining to diabetes care and/or treatment you have received, that may be in the Diabetes Registry, please contact your primary care provider.
Freedom of information
eHealth Ontario is subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), the Ontario law that provides a right to access information under the control of institutions in accordance with the principles that:
- information should be available to the public
- necessary exemptions from the right of access should be limited and specific, and
- decisions on the disclosure of government information should be reviewed independently of government
FIPPA also protects the privacy of personal information of individuals held by institutions. It provides individuals with a right of access to, and correction of, that information.
To make an FOI request to eHealth Ontario, you must make a request in writing that includes enough detail to allow our staff to find the information. You must also include a $5.00 application fee, (cheque only) payable to the minister of finance.
You must send your request to:
FOI coordinator
eHealth Ontario
777 Bay Street, Suite 701
Toronto, ON M5B 2E7
For questions, contact our FIPPA officer at foi.request@ehealthontario.on.ca.
The time required to locate and prepare records that contain your own personal information is free of charge, although you may be charged for photocopying costs. For general records, you may be charged for the time required to locate and prepare the records, photocopying costs, shipping costs, and costs associated with replying to the request. You will receive a decision letter that will outline our response to your request. You will be informed of your right to appeal the decision to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.
