Transparency and requesting access to non-health records

To request a copy of your patient health record, please contact the Health Information Management Office (HIM) at 905-494-2120 ext. 58864.

Additionally, any person may request access to records about the hospitals’ functions and operations by submitting a written request using this form. We have a selection of records such as executive contracts and expenses readily available. Osler takes community trust seriously and we believe in being open, transparent and accountable to you.

Osler adheres to the provincial Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). 

FIPPA is about two things:

  • Access  to general records subject to limited exemptions 
  • Privacy for personal information that is held by the hospital. Individuals have the right to request access to this information through our HIM.

Decisions on requests for access will be issued within 30 calendar days after the complete request is received.

 A complete request:

  • has been made in writing 
  • clearly explains what information is being requested
  • includes a $5.00 application fee (payable to "William Osler Health System"). 

You may choose to request information rather than a request for records. Requests for information come in the form of written or verbal answers to questions and use the FIPPA and privacy policies as guidance.

Any decision issued by Osler may be appealed to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC).

Direct all FIPPA requests to:
Freedom of Information & Privacy Specialist
Freedom of Information (FOI) Office, William Osler Health System
905-494-2120 ext. 29466 or foi@williamoslerhs.ca
Mailing Address: FOI Office, 20 Lynch Street, Brampton, ON, L6W 2Z8 

Download the FIPPA request form

Submitting a request

When completing the form: 
  • be clear and identify the specific records you are looking for
  • specify dates or a time period where possible 
  • give us as much detail as possible to help us find the records (pursuant to FIPPA)

Timelines

Osler will respond to the request within 30 days after receiving the complete request. If a third party is involved in the request, the time limit for responding will be extended a maximum of 20 days. Another ten-day extension is given to Osler to review the third party comments and then issue a decision for access. The third party has another 30 days maximum to appeal the access decision.

Fees

The fees associated with access requests under FIPPA are outlined under Regulation 460 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and summarized below:

Application

A $5.00 mandatory application fee must accompany a request for either general records or personal information under FIPPA.

COSTS FOR PHOTOCOPYING, COMPUTER PRINTOUTS AND COMPUTER DISKS

Fees are $0.20 per page for photocopies and computer printouts regardless of whether the request is for general or personal information. A fee for CD's is $10.00.

SEARCH TIME

The amount of time required to search for the records is a chargeable fee. This includes personnel time involved in searching for the records, examining file indices, file plans or listings of records, either on paper or in a computer.

Osler will charge $7.50 for every 15minutes ($30/hr) spent by any person searching for the record. If more than one person is conducting the search, each person's time will be charged.

Search time does not include:

  • time spent photocopying the records
  • the time it takes an employee to walk from one area to another to locate responsive records
  • the time to drive to an off-site storage to retrieve records (unless costs are invoiced by an outside firm).
RECORD PREPARATION CHARGES

Personnel time involved in physically preparing the record for disclosure will be charged.  This includes the time involved in severing exempt information prior to disclosure. Osler will charge $7.50 for every 15minutes ($30/hr) by a person for preparing a record for disclosure.

COMPUTER COSTS

Osler will charge $15.00 for every 15minutes spent developing a computer program or other method of producing a record from machine readable record.

In some cases, producing a record from a machine readable record will require the manipulation of information stored in a computer database. It may be necessary to write a computer program retrieve that information.

COSTS FOR SERVICES OUTSIDE THE INSTITUTION

Osler may require outside services to help locate, retrieve, process or copy paper or electronic records.  The costs of these services can be passed on to the requestor if two conditions are met:

  • the institution receives an invoice for the cost of outside services; and 
  • the costs cover services that could not have been provided by Osler's staff. 
SHIPPING COSTS

Osler will charge for the relevant shipping costs.

RELEASE OF RECORDS

Osler is not required to release records until the fees have been paid, or the issue of fees has been resolved after an appeal to the IPC.

 

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