eReferral Ontario Electronic Data Transfer: Description of Service

Date Last Reviewed: February 11, 2026

Ontario Health’s Electronic Data Transfer (eDT) service supports the eReferrals program by enabling electronic referral delivery to specialists who are not yet fully onboarded to the eReferral platform. eDT provides a secure, transitional pathway that allows primary care providers to maintain a consistent digital referral workflow while specialist onboarding continues.

Through eDT, referral senders can transmit referrals electronically to specialists listed in the Ontario Health Referral Network who receive referrals outside of the core eReferral platform, using Standardized Referral Forms (SRFs). SRFs ensure specialists receive complete, accurate, and consistent referral information, reducing the need for follow-up and minimizing administrative burden.

Use of SRFs also supports the rollout of regional Central Intake Hubs, helping patients access appropriate care more efficiently while reducing reliance on manual, paper-based referral processes. eDT operates within the same privacy, security, and data-handling controls as the broader eReferrals Ontario service.

Ontario Health maintains physical, administrative, and technical safeguards to protect Personal Information (PI) and Personal Health Information (PHI) against loss, theft, unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use, or modification.

Source:

• Health information custodians
• Primary care physicians
• Care coordinators

Safeguards

For additional information on Ontario Health safeguards, visit Safeguards for the Protection of Personal Information and Personal Health Information.

Additional Technical Safeguards:

• Receiver validation: fax recipient contact details are integrated with the Provincial Health Services Directory (PHSD) to ensure that eReferrals are sent to the intended recipient.
• SRFs: eFax cover sheet templates omit PHI thereby providing a layer of physical security for Faxes that may be exposed to patient areas.

Provincial Care Coordination Gateway (PCCG) Service Specific Safeguards:

• Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources, Release 4 (FHIR R4) Validation: Ensures all incoming referral and eConsult requests strictly follow the Health Level Seven International (HL7) FHIR R4 specification, using robust validation processes to maintain data integrity and compliance.
• Error Handling and Feedback: Provides immediate, actionable feedback on validation or compliance issues to sending systems, enabling quick resolution of discrepancies.
• Authentication and Authorization Management: Supports secure access using OAuth/OpenID Connect protocols, aligned with ONE ID OAuth profiles.
• Secure Transmission of Binary Attachments: Implements encrypted, secure protocols to protect binary attachments in transit from unauthorized access or interception.
• Secure Storage of Attachments: Uses encrypted storage solutions to safely retain binary attachments in compliance with healthcare data protection standards.
• Malware Scanning: Automatically scans all incoming attachments for viruses and malware, ensuring that stored content is safe and free of malicious code.

See our Contact page to find information on how to contact the Ontario Health Privacy Office.