Physiotherapist record keeping in Ontario (CPO)
Physiotherapist record keeping in Ontario (CPO)
Retention by profession
| Profession | Regulator | Minimum retention |
|---|---|---|
| Physiotherapy | CPO | 10 years after last entry |
| Massage therapy | CMTO | 10 years after last client contact |
| Chiropractic | CCO | 7 years (S-002) |
Supplementary intake records
When Hivi-X holds pre-visit intake copies parallel to your EMR chart, your clinic should document:
- Why both systems hold PHI
- Retention and deletion schedules for each
- Which system is the clinical chart of record
- Export procedure when intake moves into the EMR
Hivi-X provides export and deletion tools; policy is yours.
Access and safeguards
PHIPA custodians must respond to access requests within 30 days and maintain reasonable safeguards. Canadian hosting, encryption at rest, and access controls support due diligence — they do not replace custodian accountability.
General operational information for Ontario physiotherapy and rehabilitation clinics only — not legal, clinical, privacy, or billing advice. Your clinic remains the health information custodian under PHIPA. Hivi-X is document-collection software; it is not an EMR, does not submit WSIB Form 8, and does not certify college or PHIPA compliance.
Answers are general operational information only — not legal, tax, regulatory, clinical, privacy, immigration, or professional advice. Requirements vary by matter, client, and regulator.
Frequently asked questions
- How long must physiotherapists keep health records in Ontario?
- CPO requires at least 10 years after the last entry. CMTO requires 10 years after last client contact for RMTs; CCO requires 7 years for chiropractors.
- Does duplicate storage in Hivi-X create extra obligations?
- If Hivi-X holds PHI copies, your clinic remains custodian and should include the vendor in privacy impact assessments, retention schedules, and breach response plans.
- Can patients request access to intake records?
- PHIPA access requests must be answered within 30 days. Hivi-X provides export tools; your clinic responds as custodian.
Collect complete patient intake before the appointment
Hivi-X helps Ontario physiotherapy and rehabilitation clinics request health history, consent, insurance cards, referrals, and WSIB/MVA documents with reusable checklists, a secure guest link (no account needed) or my-id.ca portal, self-hosted AI summaries, and exportable packages for Jane, Cliniko, or your EMR.
More Physiotherapy guides
- Email is not document collection for rehab clinicsOntario physiotherapy clinics lose clinical time when intake documents arrive by email, fax, and text. A checklist-first workflow keeps pre-visit files organized.
- Missing documents cost clinicians treatment timeIncomplete pre-visit intake forces Ontario physiotherapists to spend appointment minutes on admin. Checklist tracking helps reception finish the file before eval day.
- Better patient document collection for rehab clinicsHow Ontario physiotherapy clinics can replace ad hoc email intake with reusable checklists, portal uploads, and exportable packages for the EMR.
- Stop chasing intake forms at the front deskFront-desk staff at Ontario rehab clinics should validate intake before appointments — not chase missing forms when patients arrive.
- EMR vs document collection for physiotherapyJane, Cliniko, and ClinicSense handle charting — but faxed referrals and WSIB letters still arrive outside the portal. Hivi-X fills the pre-visit gap.
- Ontario physiotherapy intake form checklistA practical checklist Ontario rehab clinics use for health history, consent, insurance, referrals, WSIB, and MVA documents before the first visit.
- WSIB claim supporting documents intakeWhat Ontario physiotherapy clinics collect before first WSIB treatment — claim metadata and supporting documents. Form 8 still goes through TELUS Health.
- MVA rehab document collection workflowHow Ontario physiotherapy clinics collect MVA claim documents — adjuster contact, police reports, imaging, and discharge summaries — before the first visit.
- MD referral letter collection in OntarioMD and NP referrals for physiotherapy often arrive by fax and email — outside Jane and Cliniko portals. Checklist tracking links referrals to intake before the visit.
- Extended health benefits intake formsCollect EHB insurance cards, policy numbers, and benefit details before Ontario physiotherapy visits — with checklist tracking and EMR export.
- Insurance card verification before visitsVerify extended health insurance cards and policy details before the appointment — not at the front desk when the schedule is full.
- CMTO PHI collection standard and intakeCMTO's November 2025 Collecting Personal Health Information standard — what changed and how clinics self-review intake forms with structured pre-visit collection.
- PHIPA custodian duties for rehab clinicsOntario physiotherapy clinics are PHIPA health information custodians. Pre-visit document collection tools must fit your privacy impact assessment — not replace it.
- Tele-rehab intake documents in OntarioVirtual and hybrid physiotherapy visits need remote consent, health history, and insurance verification before the video appointment.
- Clinic new patient onboarding documentsFront desk and clinician responsibilities for Ontario rehab clinic new patient onboarding — EHB, WSIB, MVA, and tele-rehab tracks.
- Treatment plan supporting documentsSpecialist reports, imaging, surgical protocols, and outcome baselines that support physiotherapy treatment planning and insurer updates.
- Insurance adjuster document packageHow Ontario rehab clinic office managers assemble MVA and insurer document packages from intake and supporting clinical attachments.
- Hospital discharge summary collectionPost-surgical and inpatient rehab patients often need hospital discharge summaries before physiotherapy intake is complete.
- Voice notes for intake phone callsRecord reception intake phone recaps and summarize them against checklist lines with self-hosted AI — not third-party providers.
- AI summaries for physiotherapy client filesSelf-hosted AI summaries for Ontario rehab clinic intake files — organized around checklists, not generic chatbots.
- Co-agent workflow for rehab clinic staffLoop reception, office managers, and treating clinicians into the same intake file with scoped access — without shared email inboxes.
- Exportable PDF package for EMR uploadExport organized physiotherapy intake packages as PDF indexes for upload into Jane, Cliniko, or your EMR of record.
- Canadian-hosted document collection for rehab clinicsPHIPA custodian due diligence for cloud intake — Canadian hosting, encryption, and self-hosted AI for Ontario physiotherapy clinics.
- Secure client portal for physiotherapy documentsPatients upload intake documents via secure guest link (no account needed) or the authenticated my-id.ca portal. Workflow for Ontario rehab clinics.
- Multi-disciplinary clinic intake standardizationStandardize intake across PT, RMT, and chiro in one Ontario rehab clinic — shared base checklist plus profession-specific addenda.
- Solo physiotherapist intake workflowSolo PT and small two-provider clinics without dedicated admin — lightweight checklist intake without enterprise EMR overhead.
- Jane App vs document collection for physiotherapyJane excels at scheduling and charting. Hivi-X fills the gap for faxed referrals, WSIB letters, and adjuster packages with missing-item tracking.
- Post-surgical rehab intake documentsIntake checklist for post-surgical physiotherapy — operative notes, precautions, imaging, and discharge summaries before first visit.
- Direct billing referral validity documentationDocument MD/NP referral validity for extended-health direct billing — collected and approved before the visit, not after claim rejection.