Patient Rights in Ontario, Canada

Hi everyone!

Welcome to a Minute with Markie. Those involved in the making of these videos fully believe in and support patient (or client)-centred practice where the patient is at the centre as the most important and in control of what happens next. A key part of this and a part of you being in charge of your own healthcare, is being informed. So today, we are going to review patient rights in Ontario including some real-life examples!

Patient rights encompass both legal and ethical issues in the patient-provider relationship and were created to give the patient back power in directing their own healthcare. As a healthcare provider, it also builds the needed trust with getting the patient actively involved. There are several pieces of legislation that have fed into Ontario’s client rights including:

• PHIPA
• The Healthcare Consent Act
• The Mental Health Act
• The Long term Care Act
• As well as each providers’ ethical and legal guidelines with their regulatory body.

In Ontario, patients have the right to:

• Receive safe and proper care.
• Including the right to hire privately no matter the public services you are receiving.
• Public includes OHIP covered circumstances including care provided through hospitals and rehabilitation centres, Family Health Teams, Assertive Community Treatment Teams, Community Health Centres, and Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs).
• Give or refuse consent for any procedure, and for any reason.
• Including withdrawing consent at any time for any reason
• Have a medical professional clearly explain health problems and treatments to you.
  Aka getting informed!
• Participate in health care decisions.
• Ask questions and express concerns.
• Request a second opinion; within reason.
• Be assured that personal information is confidential.
• And only have personal health information shared with consent from the patient
• Request to access your health information records. Any records at any time.
• Request the transfer of your health records to another medical professional; you may be charged a fee.

For more information, visit Evika.io/edu or the website for the Information and Privacy Officer of Ontario: https://www.ipc.on.ca/

https://canadianhealthadvocatesinc.ca/patient-rights/
https://settlement.org/ontario/health/patients-rights-and-responsibilities/rights-and-responsibilities-of-patients/what-are-my-rights-as-a-patient/