Learn more about your health and social services rights
The right of access to your file
Published January 2, 2025 by Azalée Larouche. Journal Le Canada Français, page A-23.
Everyone who receives services or care from the health and social services network benefits from rights enshrined in the Act respecting health and social services (LSSS). To ensure your rights are respected, it’s important to know what they are. To ensure your rights are respected, it’s important to know what they are. Today, we present the right to access one’s file.
To illustrate this right, here’s a case in point: Samantha gave birth by caesarean section in hospital. The procedure went more or less smoothly. She returned home with a bandage around the incision.
Shortly afterwards, Samantha noticed that her wound was presenting problems: intense pain, discharge and a visible opening. For seven months, Samantha had frequent follow-ups at the CLSC to manage her wound and change her dressings. However, many questions remained unanswered. Her surgeon hadn’t explained why the situation had deteriorated, or whether complications had arisen during the operation.
Samantha then requested access to her medical file in order to consult the notes. However, a specific page of the file was inaccessible, the surgeon refusing to allow consultation without a clear explanation.
CAAP INTERVENTION
Samantha turned to a counsellor at the Centre d’assistance et d’accompagnement aux plaintes (CAAP) for help with her case. Thanks to this support, she filed a complaint against the hospital’s medeci.I1d to contest the denial of access to her file. The complaint enabled Samantha to finally access the missing page of her medical file and get answers to her questions.
It’s thanks to people like Samantha that the complaints examination system contributes to improving services in the health and social services network.
The complaint enabled Samantha to finally access the missing page of her medical file and get answers to her questions.
PROCEDURES
CAAP Montérégie is a community organization mandated by the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux to help users file complaints in the public services sector.
The role of the CAAP counsellors is to inform and guide users through the complaint process, to help them write and format their letters of complaint and, if necessary, to refer users to the appropriate body.
All their services are non-judgmental, confidential, and respectful of the customer’s wish to continue or not to continue the process. This being said, the user can terminate the process at any time without having to justify his or her decision.
If you think you need the services of CAAP Montérégie, don’t hesitate to contact the organization at 450 347-0670.
