May 31, 2021
Online Access to COVID-19 Vaccination Information for Health Care Providers (HCPs)
If you are an authorized Ontario health care provider with access to one of the provincial clinical viewers (ConnectingOntario ClinicalViewer, ClinicalConnect™) you can now view your patients’ COVID-19 vaccination information through the Digital Health Drug Repository (DHDR).
Overview: COVID-19 Vaccination Information Available via the DHDR
The DHDR is a provincial repository of publicly funded drugs and pharmacy services and all monitored drugs (regardless of payor). Ontarians’ COVID-19 vaccination information from COVaxON (the ministry’s provincial solution for COVID-19 vaccination information) is being made available through the DHDR as a quick solution to enable secure and easy access to authorized health care providers throughout the province.
Similar to existing DHDR records, COVID-19 vaccination information available through the DHDR is limited to patients with a valid Ontario Health Number (HN).
At the time of being vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine, if a patient does not provide consent to sharing of their COVID-19 vaccination information, it is not entered into COVaxON. In this case, the patient’s record of the vaccination is not available in COVaxON nor through the DHDR. See the Consent section for more details.
The DHDR also contains COVID-19 testing information when a pharmacy has performed this service. The results of the test would be available in the Ontario Laboratories Information System (OLIS).
Access to COVID-19 Vaccination Information through the DHDR
COVID-19 vaccination administration information is documented by HCPs in the provincial COVaxON solution. COVaxON includes information on all COVID-19 vaccinations administered by any HCP in any location in the province. A subset of the information captured for each vaccination administration is provided in near real-time to clinical viewing solutions via the DHDR.
When displayed through the DHDR, COVID-19 vaccine information displays as a drug not as a pharmacy service (unlike the flu vaccine and COVID-19 testing information when administered at a pharmacy). COVID-19 vaccination information will display as follows (see viewing solution sections below for viewer-specific details):
| DHDR Data Field | COVID-19 Vaccine Description |
|---|---|
| DIN/PIN | Drug Identification Number (DIN) of the vaccine1 |
| Brand Name | Brand name or trade name of vaccine administered1 |
| Generic Name | Generic name of vaccine administered1 |
| Strength | Strength of vaccine administered |
| Dosage Form | Dosage form of vaccine administered |
| Quantity | Quantity of vaccine administered |
| Dispense Date | Date the vaccine was administered |
| Prescriber ID | License/registration number of the health care provider who administered the vaccine (e.g., physician or pharmacist)2 |
| Prescriber Issuing College | Identifies the registration authority (i.e. regulatory college) which issued the license/registration number to the health care provider who administered the vaccine2 |
| Prescriber Name | Name of the health care provider who administered the vaccine2 |
| Prescriber Phone Number | Phone number of the health care provider who administered the vaccine2 |
1 Source for DIN, brand name, and generic name as assigned by Health Canada.
2 Available when administered by health care providers licensed by College of Nurses of Ontario, College of Physicians & Surgeons of Ontario, Ontario College of Pharmacists, College of Midwives of Ontario
Availability of COVID-19 Vaccination Information
Consent
Existing drugs and pharmacy services consent directives and processes remain the same and apply to COVID-19 vaccination information from COVaxON. If a patient has blocked access to their drugs and pharmacy services information in the DHDR, their COVID-19 vaccination information is also blocked.
- Standard requirements for patient consent and a signature continue to apply to enable an HCP to perform a temporary override of a consent directive and to temporarily access all available drugs and pharmacy services information in the DHDR, including COVID-19 vaccination information.
At the time of vaccination, if a patient does not provide consent to share their information, the COVID-19 vaccination information is not entered into COVaxON and therefore the information is not available via the DHDR. In this case, even if a temporary override is completed on a consent directive in the DHDR, COVID-19 vaccination information would not be accessible by the HCP. HCPs are advised to seek confirmation from the patient when possible.
Display of COVID-19 Vaccination Information in Provincial Viewers
Access to drugs and pharmacy services including COVID-19 vaccination information in the DHDR is available through viewing solutions to authorized organizations and HCPs.
ConnectingOntario ClinicalViewer
COVID-19 vaccination information displays in the Medications portlet, Dispensed Medications tab. In order to see vaccination information, your organization must be authorized for DHDR access and the patient must have an Ontario HN. Vaccination records display as drugs and can be grouped in the same way as other records.
If COVaxON Information Is Not Available
On occasion, COVaxON records may not be retrieved by the DHDR. The absence of vaccine information does not necessarily mean the patient has not received a vaccination. Performing a refresh may result in the successful retrieval and display of the information.
An informational message indicating that COVaxON information is temporarily unavailable will be implemented in an upcoming release of ConnectingOntario ClinicalViewer.
ClinicalConnect™
COVID-19 vaccine information displays in the Pharmacy module, in the Home Med Drugs tab. In order to see vaccine information, your organization must be authorized for DHDR access and the patient must have an Ontario HN.
To view COVID-19 vaccination information in ClinicalConnect:
- Search patient by HN.
- Click Pharmacy Module, then “Home Med Drugs” tab. Ensure Encounter filter set to “All Regional Encounters”.
Optional: Filter on Generic Name or Brand Name columns to locate vaccine data. - Click on COVID-19 vaccine line item to view associated details as shown in details pane at the bottom (or right) of your screen.
If COVaxON Information Is Not Available
On occasion, COVaxON records may not be retrieved by the DHDR. The following informational message will display: “COVID-19 Immunization Information is not available at this time”. The absence of vaccine information does not necessarily mean the patient has not received a vaccination. Performing a refresh may result in the successful retrieval and display of the information.
Where to Get Information and Assistance
General DHDR Information
- Patients: review Questions and Answers and Forms at MyDrugInfo – Public Information or contact ServiceOntario INFOline at 1-800-291-1405 (TTY 1-800-387-5559).
- Health Care Providers: review Questions and Answers, Forms and Communication Materials at MyDrugInfo-Health Care Professionals or contact Ontario Health at 1-866-250-1554 or OH-DS_servicedesk@ontariohealth.ca
ConnectingOntario ClinicalViewer
- To request access: contact the Local Registration Authority (LRA) at your organization
- For information on how to use ConnectingOntario ClinicalViewer, click here.
- For assistance or issues, contact your help desk and for other inquiries or non-urgent assistance contact: OH-DS_connectingontario@ontariohealth.ca
ClinicalConnect
- To request access: contact the ClinicalConnect Local Registration Authority (LRA) at your organization.
- For information on how to use ClinicalConnect, click here.
- To report a technical issue when using ClinicalConnect, contact the HITS Helpdesk at Hamilton Health Sciences at helpd@hhsc.ca or phone for more urgent issues 905-521-2100 ext. 43000
- For general inquiries about ClinicalConnect, please email info@clinicalconnect.ca
ONE ID
- If you have forgotten your ONE® ID Login ID or Password, click the Forgot Login ID/Forgot Password link on the ONE ID Login screen
- To maintain your ONE ID account and keep your information current, log in to https://oneid.ehealthontario.ca to access the My Profile page
Technical Issues for ConnectingOntario ClinicalViewer, ONE ID, DHDR
Contact Ontario Health Support Desk at 1-866-250-1554 or OH-DS_servicedesk@ontariohealth.ca
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