P.E.I. health minister concerned about medical file transfer fees

Health Minister Robert Henderson wants to speak with the Medical Society of P.E.I.aboutdoctors charging patients to transfer their medical files when a doctor shuts down their practice.

"It wasn't the patient that chose to go to another doctoror leave to another province and request their files be transferred," he said.

Henderson said some people experience"sticker shock" when they learn of the fee.

Fees add up

TignishPalmer Road MLA Hal Perry said some constituents who have lost their doctorare facing a fee of $39.99 plus HST to have their medical files transferred to a new physician.

For a family of four, that's $184 once taxes are included, and Perry said that's more than some families can afford.

On top of that, he said some of those same patients were forced to pay the fee two years ago after losing a previous doctor.

Talk to your doctor

The Medical Society of P.E.I. says patients concerned about the fee should speak with their doctors.

"In many cases, the doctor will waive the fee," said Heather Mullen, thedirector of physician programs and services at the medical society.

The society publishes a list of suggested fees for services that are not covered under the Canada Health Act.

Mullen said copies of medical records are likely the most common service that doctors sometimes charge for.

Suggested fees

The medical societysuggeststhe fee be$20 for files of 10 pages or less. For files that exceed 50 pages, it recommends a minimum of $85.

Mullensaid the fees reflect the cost in time and materials for staff at doctors' offices to prepare copies of the sometimes complex documentation contained in medical files.

She said doctors cannot simply hand over files without making copies.

For insurance purposes and to demonstrate due diligence, doctors are required to retain copies of all patient files for a minimum of 10 years after the patient leaves the doctor's care.

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