You deserve clarity, control, and confidence in every health decision. This guide shows you how to use your rights, ask better questions, do credible research, and build health literacy while leveraging Fawkes tools to make it all easier.
Call to action: Start by securing your records in minutes: Sign up at Fawkes to gather your medical data, then explore your information and questions with the Patient Support Tool (PaST): past.fawkesbiodata.io.
HIPAA Right of Access. You have a legal right to inspect and receive copies of your medical records from covered providers and health plans. See HHS’s overview of your rights here and the Privacy Rule summary here.
21st Century Cures Act (Information Blocking). Providers and health IT developers may not “block” access to electronic health information; patients should receive rapid, electronic access to test results, medication lists—and clinical notes (“open notes”). Learn more from the Office of the National Coordinator here and OpenNotes’ policy explainer here.
Call to action: Don’t wait on paper forms. Request your records digitally and centralize them: Create your Fawkes account.
Ontario (PHIPA). Patients (or substitute decision-makers) have the right to access and correct personal health information; see the Information and Privacy Commissioner’s guidance here and Ontario Health’s “Access Health Information” steps here. PHIPA statute text is here.
British Columbia. Patients can read and copy their medical files; see BC government info on accessing records (including Health Gateway) here and background on clinical records rights here.
Alberta. Access via MyHealth Records and formal/informal requests under the Health Information Act; see Alberta’s overview here and AHS guidance (fees/timelines) here.
Call to action: Centralize provincial records and specialist notes in one place so you can actually use them: Get started on Fawkes.
Walking into a visit with clear questions leads to safer, better care and fewer “I wish I had asked…” moments.
AHRQ: “Questions Are the Answer.” Use ready-made questions and planning tools from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality here.
IHI “Ask Me 3.” A concise, evidence-based framework to guide every conversation: What is my main problem? What do I need to do? Why is it important? Download materials from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement here.
Pro tip: Before your appointment, open PaST and add your questions, meds, and recent results so everything’s at your fingertips: Use the Patient Support Tool.
Self-education is powerful when you rely on authoritative sources and organize what you learn.
ClinicalTrials.gov is the official registry for clinical studies. Search by condition, location, and eligibility here.
NIH Clinical Trials & You explains benefits, risks, phases, and what to expect here and how to find a trial here.
Medicare Blue Button (U.S.). If you have Medicare, you can share your claims data with apps you trust, helping you build a more complete picture of your history. Learn more here and on the CMS Blue Button 2.0 site here.
Call to action: Use PaST to capture notes on potential trials, compare inclusion/exclusion criteria, and prepare questions for investigators: past.fawkesbiodata.io.
Health literacy is the ability to find, understand, and use information to make decisions. Improving it leads to better outcomes and confidence.
Start with MedlinePlus: plain-language, evidence-based information from the National Library of Medicine: Health literacy overview here and easy-to-read materials here.
Call to action: Turn what you learn into action by capturing it alongside your records and questions in PaST: Open PaST.
One secure place for your records. Use Fawkes to request and aggregate records from multiple providers (hospital, primary care, specialists, labs) so nothing gets lost between portals.
Structured summaries you can use. With your information organized, you can spot patterns, prepare for visits, and share a comprehensive picture with clinicians.
Clinical-trial readiness. If and when you choose, you can opt in to be considered for recruitment. Fawkes uses your verified data to help match you to appropriate studies, reducing paperwork and delays.
Call to action (Trials): Ready to be considered for research opportunities? Sign up and have your medical data gathered for potential clinical-trial recruitment: app.fawkesbiodata.io.
Create your Fawkes account and request your records: app.fawkesbiodata.io.
Open PaST to list your top 3 questions and current meds: past.fawkesbiodata.io.
Browse credible sources (AHRQ, IHI, MedlinePlus, NIH) linked above; add notes in PaST.
If trials are of interest, shortlist options on ClinicalTrials.gov and capture eligibility notes in PaST.
Bring PaST to your next visit and leave with answers, not uncertainty.
U.S. patient access rights: HHS HIPAA Right of Access guidance; HIPAA Privacy Rule summary.
Cures Act / Information Blocking: ONC overview here; OpenNotes policy explainer here.
Health literacy: MedlinePlus overview here and easy-to-read library here.
Clinical trials: ClinicalTrials.gov here; NIH Clinical Trials & You here.
Canada: Ontario PHIPA access here; BC Health Gateway here; Alberta access overview here and AHS fees/timelines here.
Gather your records now → app.fawkesbiodata.io
Organize questions & prepare for visits → past.fawkesbiodata.io
Empowered patients get better answers. Let’s put your data to work for you.