A few hours after my eye exam, I phoned in to get my PD, as it was not listed on my prescription…read more They refused to give me the details.
A couple of weeks later, I visited the clinic in person. The eyeglass store of the clinic told me to speak with the clinic's receptionist. The receptionist told me that unless I purchased a pair of eyeglasses in their store, they aren't obligated to release that information.
I told the receptionist that I had been to 3 eyeglass stores and all 3 said that when you have an eye exam with their optometrist, they freely give the PD. The receptionist's answer was, "Which stores?"
I then said to her that for as long as I can remember getting eye exams, I've been given the PD measurement with my prescription and didn't need to buy glasses from the optometrists. Her response, "Well, we don't do that here."
She then advised the person in the eyeglass store not to accommodate me.
As I was leaving, I said, "I have one last question for you. In this day and age of online ordering, how shall I order a pair of prescription eyeglasses without knowing my PD?" She responded, "We don't advise you buying glasses online". I said to her that she didn't answer my question and that I wasn't interested in her opinion (of how I spend my money).
I ended things by saying I will speak to the BBB and to the College of Opticians Ontario.
Strangely, I received a call from another receptionist 4 hours later, asking, "How are you?" I said, "Not so good." She said, "Good." I laughed at her automated response. She didn't even catch my giggle.
She said she was calling to see how I'm doing since they were so busy earlier, and no one could help me. I reiterated that it wasn't the case and that the staff were rude and unwilling to give me my medical info. She made more excuses.
I asked how she knew to contact me when I didn't give my name earlier at the clinic. She said it was because I stated my eye exam date. I asked her if I was the only eye exam the whole day? She didn't answer. Instead, she said that a manager will be calling me later in the week to explain to me in great detail why they don't release the PD information to patients. I said to her, " Then why did you call?" She said, "To see if you're ok". I said, "I'm not." She went silent on me, so I said, "If that is all, then good day".
https://collegeofopticians.ca/registrants/practice-advice/professional-practice-faq#:~:text=A%20patient%20has%20requested%20information,Yes.
A patient has requested information from their patient health record. Is an optician obligated to give out the patient's measurements (i.e. pupillary distance measurement, keratometry readings, etc.)?
Yes. Under the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA), a patient has a right of access to his or her own personal health information and the optician has a corresponding obligation to provide access in accordance with PHIPA. The physical record of a patient's personal health information belongs to the optician, but the personal health information contained within the record belongs to the patient.
My next step will be to file a complaint with the College of Opticians Ontario.
