Privacy FAQ

Did any authorities need to approve my ehealth before the program was introduced?

Legislation states that an individual has the right to know what personal information about them exists, how it is used, and who it was disclosed to. An individual also has the right to have access to their own information.

Online access to lab results by patients is supported by legislation and is considered a 'routine release of information'. Before my ehealth was introduced, approval was confirmed during consultations with the BC Ministry of Health and the BC Information and Privacy Commissioner.

My ehealth does not replace the formal process for requesting paper records. An individual may still choose to request hard copy lab reports instead of using my ehealth.

Why do you collect my personal information when I register for my ehealth?

We collect your personal information to confirm your identity as part of the registration process. We also use your personal information to provide you with customer support. We only collect personal information from you that we consider necessary.

Do you share my personal registration information with other organizations?

We do not share, sell, rent or lease personal information with anyone or any organization, except in circumstances where we would have to disclose personal information because of legal requirements or law enforcement such as a court order, subpoena or warrant.

How long do you keep my personal registration information?

Your registration information is kept for as long as you use my ehealth. If you decide to discontinue using my ehealth, and deactivate your account, your personal registration information will no longer be available to anyone.

How do you protect my personal information?

We are committed to protecting your personal information – both the information you provided for registration and the lab test information you access online. To prevent unauthorized access, several safeguards are used; such as complex passwords, encrypted information during transit, automatic log out of an account after a period of inactivity, and locking an account after several unsuccessful login attempts.

Where is my personal information stored?

All personal information is stored in a secure environment within British Columbia.

How is your staff trained about privacy?

All staff members must sign a confidentiality agreement and complete mandatory privacy training. Privacy and security policies and procedures are available for guidance.