Hospital Access to PharmaNet

Overview of Service

PharmaNet is a secure computer network that links community and hospital pharmacies throughout the province. By allowing B.C. health care providers controlled computer access to their clients' medication profiles, PharmaNet can protect British Columbians from potentially dangerous medication interactions and duplications. In addition, it helps to limit prescription fraud and drug abuse. PharmaNet complies with the province's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Hospital Access to PharmaNet (HAP) allows authorized physicians and pharmacists to request and receive up-to-date records of medications dispensed to a patient, in a timely and secure manner, at each registered hospital or designated mental health facility (DMHF).  

HAP access is limited to 3 transactions for hospitals and DMHFs, as follows:

  1. TID - View patient demographic information
  2. TRP - View full 14 month patient medication profile.
  3. TRR - View the 15 most recent filled prescriptions.
  4. TIP - Prescriber Identification (optional)

Purpose of Service

Access to PharmaNet aims to enhance patient care by providing complete, accurate and comprehensive patient and drug information. This service is available for physicians and pharmacists in a hospital or DMHF and authorized persons acting on the physician's behalf.

Register for Hospital Access

As part of the registration process for access to PharmaNet please ensure all conditions are met and requirements are implemented that are outlined in the Hospital Access to PharmaNet Policies and Procedures, [ PDF 113 Kb  ], [ word doc ].
To register for access to PharmaNet, Hospitals or DMHFs must meet the following requirements:

Health Authority

The Health Authority must have a signed Data Access Agreement with the Ministry of Health with an addendum to access PharmaNet for the hospital(s) or designated mental health facility(s).

Note: Only Designated Mental Health Facilities operating under the jurisdiction of a Health Authority can obtain access to PharmaNet through the Data Access Agreement. Designated Mental Health Facilities operating under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Children and Family Development will need to sign a separate data access agreement.  For more information please contact the  Ministry of Health Data Access Services Hlth.Hnetconnection@gov.bc.ca

Hospitals:

  1. The hospital must have a completed Undertaking to Complete Confidentiality Procedures for Hospital Access to PharmaNet, [ PDF 42.3 Kb ], [ word doc ] signed and faxed to:

    Data Access Services
    Ministry of Health
    FAX No.: (250) 952-1119
  1. For a physician to register for access they must meet the following requirements:
     
    1. The physician must be a member in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia.
    2. Each physician accessing PharmaNet in the hospital must sign an Undertaking of Confidentiality and Acknowledgment of Disclaimer by Physician for Hospital Access to PharmaNet, [ PDF 25.5 Kb ], [ word doc ] document.  This document is retained by the hospital.
       
  2. Each authorized person acting on the physician’s behalf in the hospital, must sign an Undertaking of Confidentiality and Acknowledgment of Disclaimer by Authorized Person for Hospital Access to PharmaNet, [ PDF 24.4 Kb ], [ word doc ] document.  This document is retained by the hospital.
     
  3. Pharmacists have already signed a confidentiality undertaking which is retained by the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia (CPBC).  No additional confidentiality undertaking is required.

Designated Mental Health Facilities:  

  1. The DMHF must have a completed Undertaking to Complete Confidentiality Procedures for Designated Mental Health Facility Access to PharmaNet, [ PDF 55.5 Kb ], [ word doc ] signed and faxed to:

    Data Access Services
    Ministry of Health
    FAX No. : (250) 952-1119
  2. For a physician to register for access they must meet the following requirements:
     
    1. The physician must be a member in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia.
    2. Each eligible physician in a DMHF must sign an Undertaking of Confidentiality and Acknowledgement of Disclaimer by Physician for DMHF Access to PharmaNet, [ PDF 27.0 Kb ], [ word doc ] document.  This document is retained by the hospital.
       
  3. Each authorized person in a DMHF, must sign an Undertaking of Confidentiality and Acknowledgment of Disclaimer by Authorized Person for Designated Mental Health Facility Access to PharmaNet [ PDF 37.1 Kb ], [ word doc ] document.  This document is retained by the hospital.
     

Pharmacists have already signed a confidentiality undertaking which is retained by the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia (CPBC).  No additional confidentiality undertaking is required.

Vendor Selection
A hospital or a DMHF must select a vendor that has been approved by the Ministry to provide Hospital Access to PharmanNet.   For a listing of approved vendors please contact the Ministry of Health, Software Support Organizations (SSO) HLTH.HnetSSOSupport@gov.bc.ca

Compliance Standards
The vendors and hospitals must adhere to the compliance standards which are available at Compliance Standards Documentation for PharmaNet.

Patient Notification
A sign must be posted in appropriately visible locations throughout the facility indicating to patients that their PharmaNet profile may be accessed.


Support

For further information or to register, please contact the Ministry of Health Helpdesk:

Phone: 1-250-952-1234 or toll free 1-888-764-2323

E-Mail: Hlth.Hnetconnection@gov.bc.ca