Provider Registry

The Provider Registry is a database containing the details of healthcare providers, including names, license numbers, credentials and expertise, where they work, and whether they have been subject to discipline by their regulatory college. It is intended to be used by health authorities and regulatory bodies as a central point for the collection and disclosure of basic information about a health provider’s status, training, address and contact information and ability to work. The plan is for PRS to be implemented in several provinces across Canada. It is designed to be a pan-Canadian standard so health care organizations will eventually be able to get information on providers from other jurisdictions. In BC, the PRS is within the Ministry of Health program area that manages the provincial Client Registry.
It is expected that the Provider Registry will be designated a HIB under the E-Health Act.

Client Registry

The Client Registry is a centralised repository (essentially, a databank) of demographic information about all individuals who receive health care services in BC.  All clients are identified with a Personal Health Number (PHN). The demographic information about individuals includes their name, birth date, gender, address and phone number. Their date of death is added upon death.

The Client Registry assigns and maintains PHNs and establishes the link between the person’s identifying information and their PHN. Access to the Client Registry is necessary to identify the correct PHN for a person who is already registered, or to register a new person and assign a PHN or to identify and correct any situations where duplicate PHNs have been issued by accident. Health authorities, hospitals, labs, medical practitioners and provincial agencies such as the BC Centre for Disease Control, and the BC Cancer Agency all use the Client Registry when registering patients. When there is a change made to client information on the Client Registry, the information is automatically sent out every night to interested users, which can read the changes and update their own databases if appropriate.

The Client Registry is linked to other programs, including some in the Ministry for Children and Families, the Ministry of Human Resources and ICBC; these linkages are subject to privacy and security protections contained in memoranda of understanding, or confidentiality or service level agreements. It is expected that the Client Registry will be designated a HIB under the e-Health Act.