A medical health record (MHR) is a written summary of your personal health information.
Tips & Links
A medical health record (MHR) is owned by a physician, specialist, clinic, or health authority. It may contain your medical health history (a list of your health conditions), surgical history, diagnostic test results, physician/specialist summary letters, medication list (past and present), allergies, and suggestions for your plan of care.
Learn About
- Learn about the contents of an medical health record (MHR) and ways to organize your medical health record from Healthlink BC.
- Know that the items in your MHR come from different sources. The medical services plan (MSP) tracks your use of medical and specialist care as well as hospitalizations and diagnostic tests. PharmaNet tracks your medications.
- Understand that a medical health record is owned by a physician, specialist, clinic, or health authority.
Things You Can Do
- Understand that you are often the only one who has the complete story of your health history and journey.
- Know how to access your health profile when you are at a medical visit or during hospital admission. Make sure you share any changes or updates of your health profile with your physician or nurse practitioner so it is entered into your EHR.
- Keep your health profile up to date. Ensure you include all allergies, medications, supplements, vitamins, herbs, over the counter drugs, alcohol use and recreational drug use in your medication list. Keep your health conditions, surgical history, infectious diseases, and vaccination record information current.
- Learn how to access your health information from Health Gateway BC.
- Check out an example of how to access your medical records from the Fraser Health Authority.
- Learn about how an MHR is being transferred into an electronic health record (EHR) in BC. Always confirm your personal health information in your EHR when you are being asked questions at a medical visit or hospital admission.
- Choose a health advocate to help you keep track of your health information and ensure your health profile is up to date.
- You should know the contents and accuracy of the information in your MHR. It is important to be able to share your health information if you change physicians, use a walk-in clinic, move to a new doctor or province, and/or are admitted to a hospital.
Learn More
- Learn about your rights to privacy and confidentiality from Healthlink BC.
- Understand that your private health information is protected by policies laid out by the Ministry of Health.
- Learn about privacy laws and your personal health information from Aide Canada.
- Access the full text of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) for BC.
- Know that your medical health record (MHR) and your electronic health record (EHR) are owned by health care professional or agency that created it. To access your personal health information, you’ll need written permission. Learn more at Healthlink BC.
Keep your Health Profile up to date. It is the fillable PDF tool found in My Health Information. Ensure your name is listed on every page and your updates are saved to your digital and print files.
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Categories: My Health Information, Senior
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