General Guideline #3 - Permission to Disclose Health Information to Designated Assessment Centre (OCF-14)

The information on this page is provided for historical reference only. Users should verify the information before making decisions or acting upon it.

Issue to be Clarified

The Minister's DAC Committee has been requested to determine and clarify whether the DAC must, prior to the assessment, be in receipt of an originally signed OCF-14 or, whether in the alternative, prior receipt of a faxed copy is sufficient for the assessment to take place. This guideline will clarify the Bill 59 DAC Guidelines which require an original signature by the claimant authorizing the release of information. The clarification will ensure that the assessment can take place in a timely manner.

It has come to the attention of the Minister's Committee that a number of Designated Assessment Centres (DACs) have been asked to accept signed faxed OCF-14s prior to the assessment and to also obtain the original signature of the claimant or authorized representative at the time of the assessment by having a second OCF-14

signed. Some claimants, upon attending at the assessment, refuse to sign another original OCF-14 and therefore the assessment does not proceed because the DAC is not in receipt of an originally signed OCF-14 but rather only a faxed copy.

A Faxed Copy of an Original Signed OCF-14 is Sufficient

Only one OCF-14 is to be signed by the claimant or their authorized representative. The original or a faxed transmittal of the originally signed OCF-14 must be delivered to

the DAC prior to the assessment in accordance with the DAC guidelines in order to commence the assessment process. If the originally signed OCF-14 is faxed to the DAC, there is no requirement that the applicant or authorized representative sign a further OCF-14 in order to commence the assessment process.

The originally signed OCF-14 must be kept by the applicant or their authorized representative and made available if requested by the DAC should any issues regarding the authenticity of the signature and/or consent later arise.

We encourage feedback regarding this Guideline. Please let us know your experiences, and provide your suggestions, so that we may continue to improve the DAC system. Comments can be directed to:

The Minister's Committee on the Designated Assessment Centre System

c/o The Accident Benefits Analysis Unit
Ontario Insurance Commission
5160 Yonge Street
Toronto ON M2N 6L9

GG-3
June 1998