Copies of medical records

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Harriet3
Harriet3 Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
After having my mammogram, I requested a copy of the radiology report. I was flat out refused! Instead they sent me a standard "say nothing" form to contact my doctor about an abnormal reading.

The HIPAA laws require medical facilities to provide copies when asked. This facility told me they had a "long standing policy" that patients were NOT to get copies of their medical records from them. I feel the HIPAA laws override this long standing policy.

I really wanted the copy of this report before going to any doctor, to determine if I should stay local or go to a larger treatment facility.

I am still infuriated by their callous and definsive attitude.

It's all in the past now, I have had my surgery and am in chemo, But this still burns me up.

Have any of you had such trouble?

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  • sassysally
    sassysally Member Posts: 150
    #2
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    Call the facilty administrator and request your medical records, also ask them for their fax number and put your request in written. If they still refuse and will not give you a copy of your records, call an attorney to ask questions. They will not charge you for this. Your rights as a patient entitle you to those records. The more noise you make, and the higher up the business ladder you go will go a long way. Date your fax so that if needed you know when you contacted them, also get full names and dates of who and when you talked to them, with a description of what was said. Keep me posted. Good luck.
  • seeknpeace
    seeknpeace Member Posts: 259
    #3
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    Harriet, I would say this to you and anyone else, get your important records from the doctors. I have always gotten the reports on anything that was done to me and after this last surgery, there were some hospital issues and I went and copied my entire file from the hospital.

    Recently, I had a need for some records from a hospital where I was a patient twice in 1983. This facility has gone bankrupt and the bankruptcy judge ordered all records destroyed. I cannot get any of them and I need them right now for a disability claim. The doctors who treated pled with the judge to have their patients records so that if a patient needed them or came to them they would have them, but, the judge refused. While checking into this, I discovered that they do not have to keep your records but for a period of time. Get everything about you that matters. Also, it helps when you see an new doc so that he does not have to redo blood work or scans, etc.

    And, yes you have a legal right to your records per federal law and they cannot refuse you those records. I even went to the breast clinic that mishandled my mammograms from last year and got all my films back to 1986. All reports, everything that they had.
  • nancyeob
    nancyeob Member Posts: 19
    #4
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    I am just shocked that you had so much trouble obtaining your medical records. I made sure that every written word and xray was in my possession. The record dept. had me fill out a form indicating the dates I wanted and I could either pick them up or have them delivered to my home.
    I can only reiterate what Sally and seeknpeace have said ... don't take no for answer.
    If it were me I would still presue the issue. You may help the next patient who tries to get records and bring it to the attention of the powers to be how illegally this situation is being handled.
    Keep us posted. Nancy

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