Halifax woman says copies of family medical records will cost hundreds
A Halifax woman is outraged after learning she would have to pay hundreds of dollars to access copies of her family’s medical records.
Cornelia Schneider recently received a letter that her doctor is closing their practice and leaving the Maritimes. If being without a family doctor isn’t difficult enough, she now has to pay a fee to access her medical records.
“That same letter also stated that our medical records would go into storage with some company,” Schneider tells CTV Atlantic.
The company, Docudavit Solutions, is used by doctors to store patient records, a common practice to ensure medical information is kept secure.
Schneider says the cost, $95 for adults and $65 for children, is simply too much.
According to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia, doctors are strongly encouraged to securely retain original records for ten years.
That’s where companies like Docudavit come in. They provide copies to people that want their medical records for a fee.
“It’s not a part of the health insurance so there’s fee schedules across the country,” said Sid Soil of Docuvait. “Depending on what province you’re in, they vary, and we conform to the fee schedule in each province.”
Soil says the fee structure can vary depending on a patient’s ability to pay.
“We’ll make arrangements for a fee that you can afford and make arrangements to provide your medical records at no cost,” said Soil.
As for Schneider, she is still hoping to find a new doctor.
“Call Nova Scotia Health to get on that waitlist, and add another four people to that waitlist and hope for the best,” she said.
That waitlist is one more reason Schneider wants access to her medical records.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Prince William says wife Kate is 'doing well'
Prince William said on Friday his wife Kate was 'doing well' in a rare public comment about the Princess of Wales as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
BREAKING Canadian Blood Services apologizes to LGBTQ2S+ community for discriminatory blood donation policy
Canadian Blood Services issued an apology on Friday to the LGBTQ2S+ community for what it now admits was a harmful and discriminatory blood donation policy that prevented sexually active men who have sex with men and some trans people from donating blood and plasma.
BREAKING 'Just wait': Toronto mayor hints that WNBA team is coming to the city amid multiple reports
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says that she is hopeful an announcement could be made soon amid multiple reports that a WNBA team is coming to Toronto in 2026.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
Ontario coroner to investigate death of man who suffered cardiac arrest while waiting in ER
A provincial coroner will be investigating the death of 68-year-old David Lippert, who suffered a cardiac arrest while waiting in a crowded emergency room in Kitchener, Ont.
'Irate male' assaulted Newfoundland officers with block of cheese, police say
Police in Newfoundland say patrol officers were assaulted Thursday by a "very irate male" wielding a block of cheese.
Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.