Difference between the my.CareConnect Portal and CareConnect

The my.CareConnect Portal is used for registration and user account management. CareConnect is the direct patient portal from which you can view patients' medical records.

Eligibility to access CareConnect in the community (non-health authority) setting

At present, the professions that are eligible to request CareConnect access can be found on the Community-based access page.

Clinical data available via CareConnect

A summary of the clinical data available in CareConnect can be found in the Clinical Data Available section. However, access is provided on a need-to-know, least privilege basis, taking account of clinical responsibilities/function and clinical settings.

Please see the Privacy & Security page for more details.

Access to CareConnect from home offices

CareConnect access is set up and audited on a worksite-specific basis. In complying with the Ministry of Health guidelines, CareConnect has released a remote access policy, which allows access to a location outside of an approved community practice site (e.g. from home). At this time, only physicians and nurse practitioners can be granted remote access through their home offices after they have been provisioned with access through their physical worksite.

Order of steps required to register a community-based worksite or practitioner for CareConnect access

Please refer to the How to Request Access to CareConnect for Community-Based Users page.

Why you need to request access for a community-based worksite

Even though you may already have a CareConnect account set up from a health authority, that access is to support your duties within that setting. To support privacy and security polices, you are required to request separate access at the community-based worksite as each private practice clinic and service delivery organizations outside the Health Authority as they are separate entities and are responsible for their own privacy & security policies, procedures and safeguards.

When setting up Community-based access, it is recommended that you create a separate HxBC account to ensure that proper privacy & security guidelines and auditing are in place.

If you would like more information about accessing CareConnect through your health authority, please see the health authority access section.

Access for resident physicians

A community-based resident can be sponsored to access CareConnect via an authorizer (i.e. a physician who is already enrolled for CareConnect access). They will be designated as an ‘on-behalf-of’ user. The residency start and end dates will have to be provided.

Note: If you are a resident employed within a health authority, please contact your health authority service desk on how to request access to CareConnect.

Access for locums

A community-based physician can work as a locum for another physician. However, locums are seen as independent users and should complete the same registration steps as any other practitioner. The group/site administrator can invite the locum to join by email or by providing them with the worksite ID. The group/site administrator is responsible for decommissioning the user once their locum has completed.

Pharmacist ineligibility for PharmaNet access through CareConnect

Pharmacists are presently ineligible for PharmaNet access through CareConnect as per the designation order (DO). This DO is an authoritative document issued by the Ministry of Health to the Provincial Health Services Authority. For more detailed information, please visit their website.

Why the BC Services is card required to register for or access CareConnect

As per Ministry of Health guidelines, community-based CareConnect users must use a dual-factor authenticator to access CareConnect. Users will be prompted to download the BC Services Card app on their mobile device to verify their ID for authentication to access CareConnect. This dual-factor authentication step is required to protect the sensitive patient data that can be viewed using CareConnect and to ensure only authorized users can gain access.

Note: The CareConnect team does not have access to any personal information that the Ministry of Health collects from you. We are not able to approve or bypass any of the steps required to attain this provincial ID. For more information, please see the Privacy Statement published on the BC Services Card website.

How to set up a BC Services account

For detailed instructions on how to setup your BC Service Account please visit BC Services Card Account – How to Setup.

'BC Services Card is Out of Sync' error message

This error is due to an issue with your BC Services app. If you encounter this error message when you attempt to log in with your BC Services card, please contact the Service BC Help Desk:

Hours:Monday to Friday (except statutory holidays), 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. PST
Toll-free: 1-888-356-2741 (Canada and USA)
Phone: 604-660-2355 (within Lower Mainland or outside Canada and USA)

Who should become a group or site administrator

The office/clinic manager or lead health care practitioner should be designated as the group/site administrator for your organization. While admin staff (i.e., an MOA) can fill out the worksite registration form, they still need to ensure that the Privacy & Security Declaration is completed by an individual who has signing authority for the worksite.

This person is ultimately responsible for CareConnect use and can legally bind the organization to the terms outlined in the Privacy & Security Declaration form. However, more than one person can be designated as a group or site administrator once the worksite is created. This enables multiple users to assist with managing user access and administration.

If the wrong person is designated as group or site administrator

The current group or site administrator can be reassigned to someone else through the my.careconnect.ca portal.

Please refer to the How to Invite and Manage Users as a Group / Site Administrator guide (PDF) for detailed instructions.

If the only group or site administrator leaves

A worksite can have multiple site administrators, but at least one must be designated at all times, or all users will lose access to CareConnect. A new staff member at the worksite must be designated as the new group or site administrator before the current one leaves their role.

Please refer to the How to Invite and Manage Users as a Group / Site Administrator guide (PDF) for detailed instructions.

CareConnect access at more than one location

If someone has already completed all of their user enrolment steps and is approved for access, they can easily request access to another worksite.

To invite a user to join an existing worksite, please refer to the How to Invite and Manage Users as a Group / Site Administrator guide (PDF) for detailed instructions.

Please refer to the How to Register an Individual User for CareConnect Access guide for detailed instructions.

Privacy and Security Declaration for the worksite

The process of registering for CareConnect access from a community-based worksite is different than registering as a health authority employee. This is because private practice and community-based worksites are responsible for managing their own network and ensuring that the worksite itself has appropriate policies, procedures and safeguards in place to provide secure CareConnect access to their staff.

The Privacy & Security Declaration must be completed by an individual with signing authority for your worksite before the worksite can be approved. Individual users must also complete all the registration steps prior to being granted access to the CareConnect eHealth viewer.

Antivirus for Privacy and Security Declaration

Before your worksite can be approved for CareConnect access, an individual authorized to sign must fill out the Privacy & Security Declaration. Additionally, a screenshot of your worksite's active Antivirus must also be submitted.

Please refer to the How to Provide Antivirus Screenshot for CareConnect Access guide (PDF) for detailed instructions.

Finding the Worksite ID

Contact your site administrator. This is the person who registered your worksite for CareConnect. They will be able to provide you with the worksite ID code to join. Alternatively, you can look up your worksite by address.

Please refer to the How to Register an Individual User for CareConnect Access guide (PDF) for detailed instructions.

Multiple worksites

CareConnect is location-specific so you must register for each worksite that you will be accessing patient data for. If you are already registered for CareConnect access, you can simply submit a request to join additional existing worksites through the portal.

Please refer to the How to Register an Individual User for CareConnect Access guide (PDF) for detailed instructions.

Alternatively, a group or site administrator can invite you to join their worksite via email. Refer to the How to Invite and Manage Users as a Group / Site Administrator guide (PDF) for detailed instructions.

Difference between authorizers and group or site administrators

An authorizer is a physician, nurse practitioner or registered nurse who can approve employees to work on their behalf. A group or site administrator is responsible for the my.careconnect worksite administration. An authorizer can be the group or site administrator but not necessarily vice versa.

On-behalf-of user without an authorizer to sponsor their CareConnect access

The on-behalf-of user can join an existing worksite in the my.CareConnect portal. However, they would only be approved to access the CareConnect eHealth Viewer once an authorized professional from their worksite has agreed to sponsor them.

Please refer to the How to Register an Individual User for CareConnect Access guide (PDF) for detailed instructions.

MOA enrolling for CareConnect access

A worksite requires either a physician, nurse practitioner or registered nurse to be fully enrolled before any on-behalf-of users (such as MOAs) can be approved for CareConnect access.

Worksite PharmaNet access

The worksite needs to be enrolled for CareConnect access before PharmaNet access can be processed. The CareConnect team will email a set of enrolment instructions that are outlined on PRIME’s website. Similar to CareConnect access, a worksite needs to approved for PharmaNet access before a user can be approved and provisioned with PharmaNet access.

To apply for PharmaNet access within CareConnect for your worksite, please visit the PharmaNet website. If you are looking to request PharmaNet access outside of CareConnect, please visit the PharmaNet Enrolment Page.

After submitting registration requirements

Once all registration requirements have been received by the CareConnect team, a welcome package will& be emailed with instructions on how to access the CareConnect eHealth Viewer to support direct patient care.

If the my.CareConnect Portal is down

The my.CareConnect Portal is primarily used for worksite and user registration, but a link to the Direct Patient Portal can be found on the my.CareConnect.ca landing page. Even if the my.CareConnect.ca page is down, registered users will still be able to access the CareConnect eHealth Viewer via https://health.careconnect.ca AND via your EMR (if rapid access is enabled). If you are having challenges accessing CareConnect, please report the issue to the PHSA Service Desk at 604-675-4299 or 1-888-675-4299.

Platforms

When using CareConnect, you should be using either a MAC or PC desktop or laptop computer. The use of smart phones or tablet style computers is not available.

EMR integration/CareConnect rapid access button

A CareConnect ‘Rapid Access’ button is available through certain electronic medical records (EMR)s. Rapid access from your EMR allows you to open the patient’s profile on CareConnect directly through your EMR with a single click.

To find out if Rapid Access is available through your EMR, please see the Community-based Internet Access & EMR Integration page. If Rapid Access is available, please contact your EMR vendor to get it enabled in your system.

Does profession determine level of access?

In compliance with Ministry of Health directives, CareConnect uses a role-based access model to ensure that each user can access the clinical information they need to do their job, but cannot access the information they do not need.

Each CareConnect business role is made up of two components:

1. Roles context: The type of service/clinical setting in which the user works (e.g. Emergency Services, Community Services)
2. Functional Description: The functional role of the user, (i.e. what the user does (e.g. prescriber, clinical support staff))

For more information on role-based access, visit the Privacy & Security page.

Why you cannot upload directly into CareConnect

CareConnect is a view only application.

Why you cannot see diagnostic images

Currently, diagnostic images are not viewable within CareConnect in community-based settings due to security, technology and privacy constraints. However, diagnostic reports are viewable in Community-based settings.

Health authority account access disabled

If you would like more information about accessing CareConnect through your health authority, please see the Health Authority Access section.

Health Professional CareConnect Access Agreement (HPCAA)

The Health Professional CareConnect Access Agreement (HPCAA) outlines the terms and conditions which govern your access to patient personal information through CareConnect. It sets out the legal obligations that you assume as a CareConnect user, as well as PHSA’s powers with respect to managing your access. The purpose of the access agreement is to ensure compliance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Physicians, residents, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses, licensed practical nurses, pharmacists and social workers are required to sign the HPCAA in order to be provisioned with access to CareConnect.

Privacy breaches

• ‎A privacy breach occurs when someone's privacy and confidentiality have been compromised
• Breaches include intentional and unauthorized access to, use, and/or disclosure of personal information
• An example would be accessing personal information via CareConnect that you do not need to know to do your job, such as information on your family, friends or colleagues
• Confirmed breaches of confidentiality will result in disciplinary action, up to and including removal of access permissions and termination

To find out more information about privacy and security please contact: ehealthprivacy@phsa.ca.

Worksite closing down soon

If your worksite is planning to close soon, please report the issue to the PHSA Service Desk at 604-675-4299 or 1-888-675-4299.

Worksite operating name change

The group or site administrator will be able to perform this update by clicking on the Update/Review Worksite button under the Worksite Access section of the main menu of the portal. The Edit Worksite tab can be then selected to perform this update.

'Access Denied' or 'Authentication Error' message

This error means that a user has not been provisioned with access to CareConnect. Each user looking to gain access to CareConnect needs to complete all the user enrolment steps. Please refer to the How to Request Access page to ensure that you have completed all of the user enrolment steps.

Note: Once access to CareConnect is provisioned, a user will receive a Welcome Package from our enrolment team which contains instructions on how to access CareConnect. If you have received a Welcome Package from our team, and you are still unable to access CareConnect, please report the issue to the PHSA Service Desk at 604-675-4299 or 1-888-675-4299.

Password reset

You can use the my.CareConnect Enrolment Portal to reset your HxBC account. Log into my.CareConnect.ca and navigate to Manage My Account / Preferences > Reset My Password. CareConnect requires a password reset every 60-90 days.

Health authority account passwords can be reset here. If you have issues resetting your health authority password, please report the issue to the PHSA Service Desk at 604-675-4299 or 1-888-675-4299.

Can an active worksite have its CareConnect access suspended?

Protecting patient privacy is a top priority for the CareConnect team. Security measures and privacy policies and procedures are designed to ensure only authorized health care professionals have access to clinical information.

The CareConnect audit team may review worksite or user access for inappropriate access, which may result in access being suspended.

For more information about our privacy and security polices, please contact the PHSA eHealth Privacy Office: ehealthprivacy@phsa.ca.

Correcting profession the my.CareConnect.ca Portal

You can change your profession in the Manage My Account Module under Update My Information. The CareConnect team will review and approve your change.

No Clinical Apps (Service Card Registration Only) when registering worksite

You will select this location type when registering your worksite for the purpose of registering your BC Services Card. You will not be able to apply for CareConnect Access to support direct patient care when selecting this option.

Name change

CareConnect verifies a user against the name on their BC Services Card and matches it against their professional college or association. If your college licence shows a different name than the one on your BC Services card, please enter it under 'Preferred Name'.

You can make changes to your 'Preferred Name' by logging into my.CareConnect.ca and navigating to Manage my Account > Update My Contact Information.

Where to find your Worksite ID

In my.CareConnect.ca, the Worksite ID is found on the Worksite Location Information page, and is made up of seven alphanumeric characters. The Worksite ID can also be found on all email notifications sent to users from the my.CareConnect Portal.

Colleague going on leave

The group or site administrator can inactivate members. Log into my.CareConnect.ca, navigate to Update Review/Worksite, and choose the user(s) to inactivate. This will inactivate the user and prevent them from accessing CareConnect from your worksite.