BC patients will soon have direct access to diagnostic imaging results

BC patients will no longer have to wait to see their doctors for diagnostic imaging results, and instead will soon be able to access their diagnostic imaging reports through the Ministry of Health’s Health Gateway website. The targeted implementation date is the end of July 2023, with reports to be published seven days after they are finalized.   

This will reduce administrative burdens for both patients and doctors, as patients will no longer need to call clinics to get their results and will be better informed for follow-up appointments resulting in more meaningful conversations with their doctors. Diagnostic imaging results will be added to the list of information already available on Health Gateway, including medication, health visits, immunization history, lab results, and more.

Types of reports and information available

The following will be available in the initial release:

• X-ray, CT, MRI, fluoroscopy, and ultrasound reports
• Basic information about the scanned body part, imaging type, and imaging facility location
• A PDF of the report (for download)

There are future plans to potentially expand the offerings to include cardiology exams, and reports for echocardiogram, bone density, PET, mammography, interventional radiation, and vascular lab images.

With support from Doctors of BC, physicians continue to work closely with the Health Gateway team to ensure guidance is provided to patients when viewing their diagnostic imaging reports via the website. As the Ministry plans further updates and enhancements to the information patients can access via Health Gateway, Doctors of BC will continue to play an active role in providing strategic guidance about when to seek input from doctors.

Watch for updates to Health Gateway’s Support Guide for patients and future expansion of information for health professionals.  For more information, contact View Email AddressHealthGateway@gov.bc.ca. For information on Doctors of BC’s ongoing advocacy for physician input on digital health solutions that reflect your needs and concerns, visit the Digital Health Strategy section of our website.