Medical Exam - Access to Medical Records

[PeperoniMacaroni 1]

Hello, I hope I am posting this in the correct place (I am new to VJ).

 

I was wondering if during the medical exam the independent medical physician has access to your personal medical record and health information from your provincial GP?

 

When the medical exam happens are they just confirming the diagnosis and treatments that are recorded from your GP or are they creating a separate "chart" for you specific only for the immigration process? And will the IME results show up on your Canadian health record after everything is submitted? 

[ConsistentCut 17]

6 hours ago, PeperoniMacaroni said:

Hello, I hope I am posting this in the correct place (I am new to VJ).

 

I was wondering if during the medical exam the independent medical physician has access to your personal medical record and health information from your provincial GP?

 

When the medical exam happens are they just confirming the diagnosis and treatments that are recorded from your GP or are they creating a separate "chart" for you specific only for the immigration process? And will the IME results show up on your Canadian health record after everything is submitted? 

I think every doctor's office has separate records and it's only shareable if you give your consent, as in no 'provincial' record, but I would like to know as well.

Edited August 29, 2022 by ConsistentCut

[ConsistentCut 17]

On 8/29/2022 at 10:08 AM, PeperoniMacaroni said:

Hello, I hope I am posting this in the correct place (I am new to VJ).

 

I was wondering if during the medical exam the independent medical physician has access to your personal medical record and health information from your provincial GP?

 

When the medical exam happens are they just confirming the diagnosis and treatments that are recorded from your GP or are they creating a separate "chart" for you specific only for the immigration process? And will the IME results show up on your Canadian health record after everything is submitted? 

Ok I got some information about this. All your medical visits are kept on file in a centralized database attached to your health care number. Any GP can access your records through this number. I'm not sure if the panel physician accesses this record during the medical or just asks you questions about your history. But technically if he/she is a GP, they have the ability to access your records, and if it's considered a visit to a GP, they could upload their results through that same database.

 

Here is the CDC guidance to panel physicians for US immigration: https://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/panel-physicians/medical-history-physical-exam.html

 

It does appear they look into your records.

Edited August 30, 2022 by ConsistentCut

[PeperoniMacaroni 1]

24 minutes ago, ConsistentCut said:

Ok I got some information about this. All your medical visits are kept on file in a centralized database attached to your health care number. Any GP can access your records through this number. I'm not sure if the panel physician accesses this record during the medical or just asks you questions about your history. But technically if he/she is a GP, they have the ability to access your records, and if it's considered a visit to a GP, they could upload their results through that same database.

 

Here is the CDC guidance to panel physicians for US immigration: https://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/panel-physicians/medical-history-physical-exam.html

 

It does appear they look into your records.

Thank you for the link, very helpful. From my understanding, currently all provinces have separate health information databases and are not accessible to outside provinces without patient consent to transfer those records. I haven't heard or seen anyone be asked to sign a release for their medical records for the IME when going to a panel physician in an outside province so I'm just assuming that the panel physicians conduct their exam without it. Also the panel physician is different than a GP because they are not authorized to treat patients, their only job is to write a report based on their findings and opinion to US immigration. Maybe in cases where the patient is going to an IME in the same province they may look into the records? I'm not sure. 

 

Regardless, thank you for your responses!

[ConsistentCut 17]

2 minutes ago, PeperoniMacaroni said:

Thank you for the link, very helpful. From my understanding, currently all provinces have separate health information databases and are not accessible to outside provinces without patient consent to transfer those records. I haven't heard or seen anyone be asked to sign a release for their medical records for the IME when going to a panel physician in an outside province so I'm just assuming that the panel physicians conduct their exam without it. Also the panel physician is different than a GP because they are not authorized to treat patients, their only job is to write a report based on their findings and opinion to US immigration. Maybe in cases where the patient is going to an IME in the same province they may look into the records? I'm not sure. 

 

Regardless, thank you for your responses!

I'm going to ask my doctor about this next week, and will post what he says.

[ConsistentCut 17]

2 hours ago, PeperoniMacaroni said:

Thank you for the link, very helpful. From my understanding, currently all provinces have separate health information databases and are not accessible to outside provinces without patient consent to transfer those records. I haven't heard or seen anyone be asked to sign a release for their medical records for the IME when going to a panel physician in an outside province so I'm just assuming that the panel physicians conduct their exam without it. Also the panel physician is different than a GP because they are not authorized to treat patients, their only job is to write a report based on their findings and opinion to US immigration. Maybe in cases where the patient is going to an IME in the same province they may look into the records? I'm not sure. 

 

Regardless, thank you for your responses!

Hey, I looked up some 'reviews' for the doctor in Surrey (Cheema) and it seems like the medical takes all of 15 minutes, with just him asking a bunch of questions from the questionnaire. I'm leaning towards them not looking into or otherwise noting your medical records beyond what you give them regarding vaccines, etc, now. Will still ask my doctor and let you know next week.

[PeperoniMacaroni 1]

47 minutes ago, ConsistentCut said:

Hey, I looked up some 'reviews' for the doctor in Surrey (Cheema) and it seems like the medical takes all of 15 minutes, with just him asking a bunch of questions from the questionnaire. I'm leaning towards them not looking into or otherwise noting your medical records beyond what you give them regarding vaccines, etc, now. Will still ask my doctor and let you know next week.

Thank you for your help!

[Hanicorn28 0]

On 8/30/2022 at 4:18 PM, PeperoniMacaroni said:

Thank you for your help!

Saw my doctor. Panel physicians do not have access to your provincial health data if they are outside the province. From everything I've heard, the medical exam is quite simple. 

[PeperoniMacaroni 1]

4 hours ago, Hanicorn28 said:

Saw my doctor. Panel physicians do not have access to your provincial health data if they are outside the province. From everything I've heard, the medical exam is quite simple. 

Thank you so much for your help!