Your medical record belongs to the clinic that created it, but the information inside it belongs to you. In Ontario you have a legal right under PHIPA to see your record and to have a copy sent to a new doctor. You start the transfer by signing a release form at your new clinic — the new clinic then requests the file from the old one. The old clinic may charge a reasonable fee for copying and sending it, and most transfers arrive within two to four weeks. You do not need your old doctor’s permission, and you do not have to explain why you are leaving.
If you have just registered with a new family doctor in Milton, this is the one piece of paperwork worth doing properly. A doctor seeing you without your history is working with half the picture.
Who owns your medical record
This is the detail that confuses almost everyone.
| Owner | |
|---|---|
| The physical chart or electronic file | The clinic or physician who created it — they are the “health information custodian” |
| The health information inside it | You — you have a right of access, a right to a copy, and a right to request corrections |
So you cannot demand the original file be handed over. You can require that a complete copy be released to you or to whoever you name.
The five steps
1. Register with your new clinic first
The transfer is requested by the new clinic, not by you directly. So the first step is becoming a patient somewhere. Until a new doctor has accepted you, there is nowhere for the file to go.
2. Sign the records release form
Your new clinic will give you an authorisation form. You will need:
- Your full name, including any former or maiden name the old records are under
- Date of birth
- Your health card number
- The old clinic’s name, address, phone and fax
- Your previous doctor’s full name
- The approximate years you were a patient there
- Your signature and the date
Bring the old clinic’s details with you — a phone number from an old appointment reminder, a pharmacy label, or a lab requisition. Not having them is the single most common reason a transfer stalls at step one.
3. The new clinic sends the request
Your new clinic faxes or securely sends the signed authorisation to the old one. Ask your new clinic to note on the request what they most need first — current medications, recent lab work, immunisations, and any specialist reports.
4. The old clinic prepares and sends the file
They may contact you to confirm your identity or to tell you the fee. Pay it promptly; most clinics will not release the file until it is paid.
5. Confirm it actually arrived
Do not assume. Call your new clinic two to three weeks later and ask whether the records came in. Transfers get lost at fax machines, at closed practices, and in retirement paperwork more often than anyone would like.
What a transfer usually includes
| Usually transferred | Often not transferred automatically |
|---|---|
| Visit notes and your problem list | Imaging films or discs — only the reports |
| Current and past medications | Records held by specialists you saw separately |
| Allergies | Hospital records — those are held by the hospital |
| Immunisation history | Dental, optometry and physiotherapy records |
| Lab and diagnostic reports | Records from another province or country |
| Specialist consultation letters sent to your old doctor | Psychotherapy process notes, in some cases |
| Chronic disease flow sheets |
Ask for a summary, not just a pile. Some clinics will send a records transfer summary — current medications, diagnoses, allergies, screening dates and immunisations on one or two pages. That is far more useful to your new doctor on day one than two hundred scanned pages, and it is reasonable to request both.
Fees: what you can expect
Ontario clinics are permitted to charge a reasonable cost-recovery fee for copying and transferring records. There is no single legislated amount; practices generally charge a base fee plus a per-page rate, and large files cost more.
What to do about it:
- Ask for the amount before approving the request — your new clinic can get the quote.
- Narrow the request if the file is enormous. The last five years, plus all immunisations, labs and specialist reports, covers most clinical needs at a fraction of the cost.
- Ask for electronic transfer. Clinic-to-clinic electronic or fax transfer is usually cheaper than a printed copy.
- If you cannot afford it, say so. Some practices waive or reduce fees in hardship cases, and a custodian is not permitted to charge a fee that effectively blocks your right of access.
Special situations
Your old doctor retired, died, or the clinic closed.
Records do not disappear. A retiring physician in Ontario must arrange for records to be retained and accessible — usually with a successor physician, a remaining partner, or a commercial records-storage company. Call the clinic’s old number first; if it is disconnected, contact the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO), which can often tell you who holds the records of a closed or retired practice.
You moved from another province or country.
Ontario forms and PHIPA do not apply there. Contact the previous provider directly, and expect a different process and fee. Allow extra time — international transfers can take months, so start before you need them.
You were a hospital patient.
Hospital records are separate. Request them from the hospital’s health records department directly. For Milton residents that generally means Milton District Hospital or whichever Halton Healthcare site you attended.
You are transferring records for a child.
A parent or guardian can usually sign, but in Ontario a capable young person can consent to their own health care and control their own record. Older teenagers may need to sign for themselves.
You are acting for a parent or relative.
You will need a power of attorney for personal care, documented substitute decision-maker status, or the person’s own written authorisation.
You think something in your record is wrong.
You can request a correction. If the custodian refuses, they must tell you why, and you may add a statement of disagreement to the file. Unresolved disputes go to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.
How long records are kept
In Ontario, physicians must retain patient records for a minimum period — generally ten years from the last entry for an adult, and for a child, ten years from the day they turn eighteen. After that, records may be destroyed.
Practical consequence: if you have not seen a doctor in well over a decade, your old file may be gone. Immunisation records are the most painful loss, so if you have ever been handed a yellow immunisation card, photograph it and keep the photo.
Keep your own copy
The patients who have the smoothest transfers are the ones who do not depend entirely on the transfer.
- Request a copy for yourself at the same time, or keep the one you already have
- Photograph your immunisation card, front and back
- Keep a one-page list: current medications and doses, allergies, surgeries with dates, chronic conditions, family history
- Note the dates of your last mammogram, colon cancer screening, Pap test and bloodwork
- Sign up for the lab portals that give you your own results
- Store it in your phone, not only on paper
This one page is what lets a new doctor treat you properly on the first visit, before any file arrives.
FAQ
Do I need to tell my old doctor I am leaving?
No. You do not need permission or a conversation. The release form is all that is required, and you do not have to give a reason.
Can the old clinic refuse to send my records?
Only in narrow circumstances — for example where disclosure could cause a risk of serious harm. A refusal must be explained, and you can complain to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario. A clinic cannot refuse simply because you left, or because of an unrelated dispute.
How long does a transfer take?
Commonly two to four weeks. Longer if the old practice has closed, the records are in off-site storage, or the fee is unpaid.
Can I just carry the file over myself?
You can request a copy for yourself and bring it to your first appointment — it is often the fastest route. Your new clinic will still usually want a clinic-to-clinic transfer for the official record.
Can I see my record without transferring it?
Yes. Your right of access is independent of changing doctors. You can ask your current clinic for a copy of your own record at any time.
What if I only want part of my record sent?
That is allowed and often sensible. Specify the period and the categories on the release form.
Will my new doctor read all of it?
They will review what is clinically relevant — medications, diagnoses, allergies, screening history, recent results. A transfer summary helps enormously, which is why it is worth asking for one.
Registering with us
If you are still looking for a family doctor in Milton, we can take your records transfer off your plate. Register as a new patient at Milton Health Centre and bring your old clinic’s details to your intake appointment — we will prepare the release form, send the request, and follow up on it for you.
Related reading
- How to Find a Family Doctor in Milton, Ontario: A Complete Guide for New Patients
- What to Bring to Your First Appointment With a New Family Doctor
- Signs It May Be Time to Change Family Doctors
- Are You Actually Rostered to a Family Doctor, or Just Seeing One?
This article provides general health information for Ontario residents and is not medical advice. Records retention periods, fees and procedures can vary between practices. For questions about your own records, speak with your clinic or contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.