Health Information Management

If you are a former patient of Niagara Health, you may request copies of your hospital records by submitting a dated, written and signed request to Health Information Management (HIM) at the hospital where you were a patient. A “Request for Access to Personal Health Information” form is provided below for your convenience. You can print, complete, and mail/fax this completed form to the appropriate hospital site’s HIM department (fax numbers are provided above under the heading “Release of Information, Hours of Operation”). Upon receipt of your faxed request an ROI specialist will contact you to provide further instructions. 

In accordance with the "Personal Health Information Protection Act" (PHIPA), Niagara Health has up to 30 days to process upon pre-payment.     

Niagara Health retains and manages patient records in accordance with the Public Hospitals Act Ontario Regulation 965 (Hospital Management) Section Records of Personal Health Information. PHA s20(3) Pgs 19 -21

A fee for service is charged for non-medical requests. The cost is $30 for the first 20 pages and .25 cents for each additional page.

Additional fees may apply.

If you want birth information for yourself or your child (i.e. proof of birth, time of birth), please include mother’s name, mother’s date of birth and child’s date of birth. HIM will issue you a “Proof of Birth” letter, stating a baby boy/girl was born at the hospital, date born, mother’s name, and delivering Physician’s name. (This is not an official birth certificate) This information may be used to apply for your official birth certificate. Application can be made by calling the Office of the Registrar General, Thunder Bay, ON, toll free at 1-800-461-2156, or by applying on-line at www.servicecanada.gc.ca.

A $30 fee applies for birth information.

For patients who are deceased, proof of trustee/executor of the estate, or legal signing authority, must be submitted along with your written/signed request.

Copies of a medical death certificate cannot be provided, in compliance with the "Vital Statistics Act."

HIM will issue you a “Proof of Death” letter, stating date of death, cause of death, hospital location and physician who completed the death certificate. This information can be used to apply for a Medical Certificate of Death. Application can be made by calling the Office of the Registrar General, Thunder Bay, ON, toll free at 1-800-461-2156, or by applying on-line at www.servicecanada.gc.ca

For patients who are incapable of signing a consent, a proof of legal signing authority must be provided to HIM with the written/signed request for patient information. Proof of legal signing authority such as the Substitute Decision Maker  may also include: the patient’s legal guardian, Power of Attorney for Personal Care, spouse or partner, parent, child, sibling,  other relative, or in accordance with the Personal Health Information Protection Act and the Health Care Consent Act. 

Your family and friends may call and request information on your location in hospital. If you do not want this information given out, please inform the registration staff at the time you are being registered for admission.