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Ministry of Health

Medical Practice 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.
Medical practice access to PharmaNet allows authorized medical practitioners to request and receive up-to-date records of medications dispensed to a patient, in a timely and secure manner, at each registered medical practice.

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 in medical practices and supervised persons acting on their behalf.

Register for Access

To register for access, a physician 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 medical practice must sign a Medical Practice Access to PharmaNet Agreement.
  3. Facilities that choose to implement a wireless connection to PharmaNet must complete and submit an Attestation of Compliance with the Government of British Columbia Wireless Standards - Medical Practice [Schedule 21].

The next steps for obtaining access to PharmaNet include:

  1. Select and contract with one or more vendors to provide access to PharmaNet for each medical practice where access is required.

The following vendors have been approved by the ministry to provide medical practice access to PharmaNet.

Commander Group

604 274-1231

Excelleris

1 866 728-4777

MediNet

1 800 737-3771

Plexia Electronic Medical Systems Inc.

604 269-3733

Regent Healthcare Systems

604 742-8853

Skunkwerks IClinic Inc.

604 566-9862

St. Joseph's General Hospital

250 339-1452
  1. After finalizing arrangements with the vendor(s), each eligible physician must complete the Medical Practice Access to PharmaNet Agreement.
    The agreement is a fill and print e-form with two steps. You must print the form for signature and you must select the submit button to send the form electronically to the Ministry of Health.

    Note: this form must be submitted electronically to populate the MPAP registration database.
    Failure to submit electronically will result in our inability to process your application.

    Enter your physician and medical practice information on-line in the Medical Practice Access to PharmaNet Agreement (PDF 4.4MB). Incomplete agreements will be returned.

  1. Click PRINT to print the agreements.

  2. Click SUBMIT to record your request at the Ministry of Health.

  3. Sign the hardcopy of the agreements.

  4. Mail the original signed agreements to:

    Health Data Access Services
    Information Management and Knowledge Services Branch

    Ministry of Health
    2-1, 1515 Blanshard Street
    Victoria, B.C. V8W 3C8

  1. Each physician will be contacted by their vendor when his/her registration has been processed and access to PharmaNet has been activated.

  2. Facilities that choose to implement a wireless connection to PharmaNet must complete and submit an Attestation of Compliance with the Government of British Columbia Wireless Standards [Schedule 21]. In some cases one individual may be authorized to sign the attestation on behalf of more than one facility. If this is the case, complete the Additional Facilities form [Schedule 24]. The Ministry of Health currently requires re-attestation every two years and, at its discretion, has the right to require re-attestation and/or audit compliance with the Office of the Chief Information Officer's wireless standards. Further information can be found at [Wireless Access].

  3. Mail or fax completed forms to the address on the Attestation of Compliance.

  4. If a supervised person (or persons) will be accessing PharmaNet on behalf of the physician, the supervised person(s) must sign an Undertaking of Confidentiality and Security (PDF 220KB) attached as Appendix 2 to the Agreement. These documents must be retained by the physician in the medical practice for auditing purposes and are not to be returned to the Ministry of Health with the signed Medical Practice Access to PharmaNet (MPAP) Agreement.

  5. Before the physician or supervised persons access patient information in PharmaNet, the physician must ensure that the patient has signed a Patient Consent to Access PharmaNet (PDF 247KB) attached as Appendix 1 to the Agreement. These documents must be retained by the physician in the medical practice for auditing purposes and are not to be returned to the Ministry of Health with the signed MPAP Agreement.

Update Information

A physician must notify the ministry of any changes in address, including new locations, or if he/she ceases to practice at any location from which access has been provided.

To update your existing agreement information, please complete and submit the relevant update form below.

Update Physician and Medical Practice Information

Update Supervised Persons Information

Documents and Forms

Business and technical specifications for development of PharmaNet transactions are available through the Compliance Standards Documentation for PharmaNet.

Wireless Access to PharmaNet

Attestation of Compliance with the Government of British Columbia Wireless Standards - Medical Practice [Schedule 21]

Additional Facilities [Schedule 24] for the Attestation of Compliance with the Government of British Columbia Wireless Standards - Medical Practice.

OCIO's wireless standards (sections 5.9 and 5.10) [http://www.cio.gov.bc.ca/local/cio/standards/documents/standards/standards_manual.pdf]

Support

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

In Victoria: 250 952-1234
Toll-free: 1 888 764-2323

Email: HLTH.HnetConnection@gov.bc.ca