Medical Records

[28Lisa]

How do I go about getting a copy of my medical records?

I remembered when I was in the hospital (4 month period) and Id go for tests, my records were a size of approx 5-6 huge dictionaries.  Im very curious as to what exactly they did........I woke up with stiches on my chest(16 staples) and each under arm, a feeding tube, a trache, guessed all this happened when I was in acoma for 3 weeks....

Hmmmm

[Omaschwannoma]

You certainly have had your share of difficulties and I'm amazed at what you've been through while in the hospital--4 month stay!!!  Seems I continue to find out more each time you post.  I pray you will have continued healing and peace in your heart. 

You can obtain copies of ALL your records, pre and post op, by contacting the hospital records department, also the doctors office will provide copies of their surgical records.  You are entitled to these and a good idea you keep copies yourself in case you do not stay in touch with the doctor's/hospital as doctor's and hospitals will not keep your file after 7 years or so. 

[leapyrtwins]

As Arushi said, you are entitled to your medical records which include, but are not limited to, test results and surgical reports.  I got my surgical reports directly from the doctors' offices.  I got copies of my MRI films (on CDs) and the radiologists' written reports from the hospitals.

Some hospitals, and some docs' offices, charge for copies of your records, but most usually let you have them free.  From what I've heard some of them charge you if you ask for multiple copies, but usually don't charge for the first copy.  This probably varies from hospital to hospital and office to office.

[28Lisa]

Do I have yo go there in person?.............cuz that'll be hard to do. 

[saralynn143]

No, you don't have to be there. You do have to sign a release, but you can fax it. Oftentimes there is a form you can download somewhere on the web page for the hospital. Here in Missouri I think there is a statute allowing a per-page charge for medical records (for some reason 35 cents per page sticks out in my mind, though that seems pretty steep). If a doctor or an insurance company requests the records they are less apt to charge for them than if an individual wants them for their own record. At the clinic where my husband works, they are now making CDs of medical records, but that is because they have gone to electronic records.

Sara

[Rivergirl]

I always write to the hospital medical records department with my full name, date of birth, date of service and ask for copies, I always get them pretty quick.  I am a nurse and we do not accept faxes for medical records they have to be originals so call first.  There may be a charge for the copies in some cases but you are entitled to your records.

[hruss]

Lisa,

i know my experience does not apply to the states hospitals, but here in Bulgaria I was always given my medical record when they released me. I am expected to keep it very diligently because it is my "medical passport" when i visit any doctor regarding my AN.
Each of my medical records are two pages long and the doctor who treated me just sit down and describes how the surgery went and what medicines they treated me with post-op. Then all then neurosurgeons who operated me sign off and the page is stamped. This is the exact way any medical record looks like here.

They do not keep a record of every single day of my stay in the hospital! they just summarize my stay!

I just wanted to share....
Hrissy

[msuscottie]

Lisa,

Mine was as simple as faxing over a release form allowing them to pull and copy my records. I too was in the hospital for a while and had 2 surgeries, so my records were plentiful, but it was really no problem to get them. They offered to send them, but I'm close enough where I could just pick them up. I'm now trying to figure out the best way to get copies of all of my MRI's (probably about 15 of them).

Good luck!

[mimoore]

I got copies of all CTs, MRIs and the accompanying reports on CD.
Michelle