Data request
The CMPA provides data and derived insights to our members, which helps reduce medico-legal risk and promote safe medical care.
Please note: Data is provided in aggregate form only. CMPA makes de-identified, aggregated data analysis reports available for education and research purposes. For more details about CMPA data and information privacy, please see below.
Data request process
We review all data requests and confirm their status (approved or declined) within 2 weeks.
If your data request is approved, you can expect to receive our report within 12 weeks. If we need more time, we will provide you a new completion date.
Data request form
Approved requests
If we approve your request, you will receive a date on which we anticipate completion of our report.
You can expect to receive our report within 12 weeks. If we need more time, we will provide you a new completion date.
The final report includes the CMPA data and a summary of the analysis.
Declined requests
We may decline a data request if it does not align with safe medical care goals or if sufficient data or resources are not available.
About CMPA data
With over 100 years of experience protecting and assisting physicians, the CMPA has the largest collection of physician medico-legal data in Canada.
The CMPA collects data related to medico-legal matters with which the CMPA has assisted, such as:
- legal actions
- regulatory authority (College) complaints
- hospital matters
Data sources include:
- records
- legal documents
- peer expert opinions
- College decisions
Limitations to CMPA data
While the CMPA database contains information on over 500,000 cases across Canada and representing different types of physician work since 1953, the sample size for certain research questions may not be large enough to draw specific conclusions. In such instances, the data analysis may either be restricted to descriptive themes only, or an analysis may not be possible.
Please also note:
- Not all patient safety incidents that occur in Canada are reported to the CMPA. CMPA data should be regarded as a skewed sample of such events.
- Not all information about specific cases may be captured in our database.
- Analyses focus only on closed medico-legal cases, which may not include the most recent cases.
About information privacy and copyright
The privacy and security of information is paramount to the CMPA. See our privacy policy to learn how we collect, use, and share information.
The CMPA retains copyright on all published reports. Please consult the CMPA before using the data for publishing purposes or for public distribution.
For more information, please contact datarequests@cmpa.org.
