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Requesting YOUR Medical Records

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  • Requesting YOUR Medical Records

    This seems to be such an issue around here and getting my medical records. When I go for labs, they are usually mailed to me but if I call a doctor's office to send my records to another one I generally go in and sign a paper to release my records but 99% of the time they never arrive in the new doctors office.

    SO, are they never mailed? Are they lost in the postal system? Did someone get my PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL records that should not have them?

    Whenever I offer to "hand carry" them, I am usually told it will take some time and they would rather mail or fax them. What a bunch of BS.

    So, several weeks ago I called my GYNE's office to transfer my records to the new GYNE Surgeon in another town. I called the new doc yesterday to see if they had the records - NOPE

    Called my GYNE yesterday and she said they were mailed. Called again today to get them copied so I can hand carry them to the new GYNE doc today and they are closed.

    This is just so wrong. What do doctors have to "hide" from the patient? The alternative doc I see will lay out your chart in the room with you and tell you to go over the entire chart to look for errors or in case you have questions. This should be done with all practices.

  • #2
    I went through all that crap when I went to the Cleveland Clinic last year. I went personally from doctor office to doctor office to sign releases and request that the records be doctor, gynecologist, endocrinologist and two gastroenterologists. Do you think those lousy records ever got there? NO!


    • #3
      My ds wanted his medical records from our local doctor and they told him it would cost him $45. He said no thanks!!

      Try and have them faxed next time, that way they don't go into the PO twighlight zone. You just need to get fax numbers. You may still have to go sign a release form though. Then, the places cannot claim that the PO lost them.


      • #4
        Medical records

        I work for a personal injury attorney and keep our client's medical records in meticulous fashion. Periodically I request mine, in writing, and have them mailed to me. I have a medical summary chart on my computer which details what doctor I saw, the date, the reason for the visit and the treatment. Whenever I go see a new doctor, I print out the chart and put "see attached" on the five page new patient medical history form they give you to fill out. Saves a lot of time and I don't forget little things from years ago that may have some bearing on my health today.
        In fact, I need to request updated records...thanks for the reminder!


        • #5
          I hear you loud and clear...................So far it has cost me $50 and the records are not at the new doctor's. The old doctor's office said 'we sent them'. Yea right....I had requested that they be sent to ME! I was told that they could not do that........why not?!

          So here I am in a new state with a new doctor and no medical history. The other office did mail me five pages of records. But that did not include the report from my mammygram, can you believe it.

          The new doctor does not want to treat me because I do not have a history and they are afraid of being sued. **SIGH**.........

          So it goes......


          • #6
            Medical Records

            I work at a Doctor's Office. We legally have 30 days from day release signed to copy them. Our medical records girls do them once or twice weekly though so they don't pile up. The only one's we charge for are the records requested from Insurance companies for Attny's. If a patien asks for them we do not charge, unless they "loose them" and we have to make a second set. I have seen a lot of records "lost" in the mail. We cannot fax record, we will let patients pick them up to hand carry them if they want. You wouldn't believe how may people ask for copies and never pick them up. It wastes alot of time and money. I can see both sides of this. If a patient is not happy with us and transfers, it makes you want to drag your feet, but we don't, all records are copied within a week we get the request. There are some people who "Doctor hop" seeking drugs, or wants a doctor who will just call in something without seeing them, which we do occasionally but you can't keep the doors open if you treat everyone over the phone. But to make a long story short. Records frequently get lost in the mail when we send them out to people.


            • #7
              Mine are records of all my endo surgeries and that is what I am seeing this new doc for - what a mess.


              • #8
                Sounds like a nite mare! I am thankful my reg dr. faxed my records,test results same day I called and requested ...they were there waiting at my gynos office tuesday,whew!

                Hope you get the records of your surgeries where they need to be in time!


                • #9
                  Oh Goodie, the gal just called and they just came in the mail............HOWEVER, doc is on call and a patient just went into labor. So, I am on call too. I gave them my cell phone number and to call me if he has to go deliver a baby - LOL.

                  I said I cannot be late for my stepdaughters graduation ceremony!!!


                  • #10
                    *Almost* EVERYONE I know has had problems with the records "just not showing up". I find it hard to believe that they are ALL lost in the mail.

                    I requested my records from my ob/gyn office and I was told that they will get to them but it might be quite sometime before I receive them. When I asked why that would be you'll never guess what they actually said to me!
                    "Well, your records are upstairs and we keep our garbage on the stairs. The garbage man only comes once a month and we have quite a bit piled up so we literally CAN'T get up there right now." ARE YOU F*ING KIDDING ME?? WHAT!?? It woul be 2 weeks before he got there, and then it took serveral phone calls over 3 weeks AFTER the garbage man was there to get my records. And, to make it records were 3 pages long. Hilarious!!

                    Why are we not allowed to have a copy of our medical records for our own personal files?? Everytime I need copies I have to fill out a form asking WHY I need them, WHO is going to get them, etc.