When a physician ceases to practice, his medical records are either transferred to a transferee or transferred temporarily to a provisional custodian. Anyone who would like to obtain their medical record can call 514 933-4441 (during opening hours) or write to info@cmq.org.
A transferee means a physician or a group of physicians to whom a physician’s effects are transferred at the time of permanent cessation of practice.
A provisional custodian means a physician, a group of physicians or the legal representatives of a deceased physician who are entrusted with his effects before a transferee is appointed or during the temporary cessation of medical practice.
The Collège may, in some cases, be appointed the transferee or provisional custodian of a physician’s medical records.
How to obtain a medical record held by the Collège
Patients
If a person’s medical record is held by the Collège, they can call 514 933-4441, extension 5507 to find out the procedure to follow to obtain a copy. The person (patient making the request) can also print out the form below, fill it out, sign it and return it to the Collège along with a copy of his or her health insurance card.
Printable form
Physicians
The physician must use his own form to authorize the transmission of confidential information to obtain a patient’s original medical record after obtaining the patient’s written consent (signature).
The physician must then fax it to 514 933-4096 or mail it to:
Collège des médecins du Québec
Legal Services Division – Transfer of files
Office 3500
1250, René-Lévesque boul. West
Montreal (Quebec)
H3B 0G2
Retention period for records
The transferee or provisional custodian must maintain the medical records for a period of at least 5 years after the date of the last entry or inclusion in the record, as appropriate, or if it involves a research project, the date on which the project ends. After this 5-year period, the record is considered inactive and may be destroyed.