The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care will begin providing most Ontario hospital emergency departments with electronic access to the drug claims history of patients receiving benefits through the Ontario Drug Benefit Program and the Trillium Drug Program.

The initiative is targeted for phased implementation beginning in September 2005. Full provincial roll-out is expected to be completed by May 2006.

Electronic access to a patient's drug history will be immediate – in real time – and simple to use.

It can help health care providers to quickly identify and prevent adverse drug reactions, and provide more informed emergency care. Potentially it can shorten medical assessments and allow for a faster diagnosis. This disclosure can provide missing information if a patient is incapable or cannot remember their medications. It can help ensure a patient's current medications are continued in hospital if needed. It can also reduce the need for patients to repeat their drug information to multiple providers involved in their care.

Every patient's personal health information will continue to be confidential and protected under the Personal Health Information Protection Act.

If a patient does not want their information disclosed, they have the right to withdraw their consent. A patient's decision to withdraw consent has no effect on their eligibility to receive benefits from OHIP or either drug program.

You may wish to make your ODB patients aware of this disclosure and their consent rights. Information resources can be downloaded below including office posters, flyers, questions and answers.

Patients can find the consent forms and additional information on the public section of this site.

If you or your patients have specific questions about this program, please contact the Ministry's Drug Programs Branch Help Desk toll-free at 1-866-752-6405. (TTY : 1-800-387-5559)

© Queen's Printer for Ontario  |  Privacy Policy  |  Disclaimers  |   Last Modified :