Why we charge you for your health records (but would really rather not)

We strongly believe that each and every Canadian deserves free access to their medical records. It’s your data, after all — your lab results, your clinical notes, your prescription history.

So why are we charging you for it, you may ask?

Last month we launched Dot Health Plus. For just $9.99 per month, Dot Health Plus users can request up to five years worth of medical records from up to three different providers per month.

At first glance, introducing Plus contradicts our vision of giving patients free access to the medical records they have a right to own — but stay with us.

The average cost for us to get a single patient’s medical records falls between $30-$50 per provider.

“When we say we don’t want to charge you for your medical records, trust us that we mean it.”

When you consider the number of providers the average Canadian sees, and the frequency they visit each one, it becomes clear that getting access to your medical records is an expensive task.

  • 73% of Canadians visit a doctor at least once per year.
  • 22% of Canadians will be treated at a hospital at least once per year.
  • 21% of Canadians visit a specialist for the first time each year.

For example: if you wanted to get your health records from your family doctor, the hospital you were admitted to when you broke your leg last year, and the walk-in clinic around the corner, it would cost you at least $30 per provider. Then, if you wanted up to date records as you continue to see them, that’s an additional $30 — each time.

With just one month of Dot Health Plus, you could get at least $90 worth of records for just $9.99, and we’ll cover the rest. Not because we’re rolling in money, but because we believe it’s the right thing to do.

So when we say we don’t want to charge you for your medical records, trust us that we mean it. The problem is, in order to revolutionize the healthcare experience on behalf of patients, we need to make money. We’re a business, after all — with people to pay, and lights to keep on.

As our company grows, so does our ability to offer you completely free access to your health records. The more people who join our mission to connect the world’s health information, the fewer barriers we have to accomplishing it.


Have specific questions about Dot Health or Dot Health Plus? Head over to our FAQs or send us an email to care@dothealth.ca.

Marketing Lead, Dot Health

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