Accessing your health records

Information collected in health records

When you attend a health facility, a paper record is made that contains:

• your name
• your address and contact details
• the nature of the problem
• your family history
• a diagnosis and treatment
• test results, x-rays and scans
• Medicare and Commonwealth benefit card details.

Paper-based records

Health information may be contained in paper records, electronic information systems or in other mediums depending on the tests and treatment you have had.

Every time you attend a health facility, new information is added to your record. Information will generally be collected directly from you.  However, there may be circumstances where we may need to talk to someone else, for example, your doctor or a relative, in an emergency situation.  This information may also be included in your record.

Electronic information systems

‘The Viewer’ is a read-only web-based application that sources available electronic information from a number of systems.

It is available to all Department of Health Hospital and Health Services (HHS), outpatient centres, community centres and primary care centres.

The Australian Government’s Personally Controlled eHealth Record (PCEHR) system is a secure online summary of your health information. You control what goes into it and who is allowed to access it.

Who owns my health record?

Your actual medical record is the property of the hospital, however, you are able to access your information under the provisions of the Information Privacy Act 2009 (Qld)

Using another name

We know some people may wish to use another name (alias) when receiving health services. However, this may prevent us from finding all the information we hold about you and providing appropriate care.

Regardless of whether or not you use an alias, we will search our records and attempt to match and merge all records about you.

Accessing your medical records

You have the right to apply for access to information held in your health records under the Administrative Access Scheme. To apply for access to your medical records from Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service complete the Administrative Access Application Form (PDF 85 kB).

When seeking access to your health information, we will ask you to provide evidence of your identity, such as:

• passport
• copy of a certificate or extract from a register of births
• driver’s licence
• if the applicant is a prisoner, a copy of the person’s identity card certified by a corrective services officer.

You will need to provide a certified copy of these documents. If you don't have any of the listed documents, talk to our Release of Information unit about other accepted evidence of identity documents.

If the application cannot be processed administratively, it will generally be referred for processing under the Information Privacy Act 2009 (Qld).

Timeframes

Applications under the Administrative Access are generally processed within 15 working days from the receipt of a valid application.

Accessing other people's medical records

If you are seeking access someone else's records (e.g. a relative), and you do not have or are unable to obtain their consent, you will need to make a Right to Information application.

If you are an agent acting on behalf of someone else (e.g. solicitors accessing information for their client), you may need to provide additional information with your application. This may include patient consent and evidence of your identity as their agent.

Documents of a non-personal nature released under the Right to Information Act 2009 will be progressively published through our disclosure log.

Amending information in your health record

If there is information in your health record that is incorrect or which you do not agree with, you can apply for it to be amended under the Information Privacy Act 2009.  You will need to provide details of why the information may be inaccurate, incomplete, out of date or misleading.