Why pick up a copy of your medical records?

Miles2Go

Do you know you have a right to see and obtain copies of your medical records?  (including your physician's chart notes). 

Why?  

• Reviewing test and pathology results, surgery reports to educate yourself gives you power to ask questions and make informed choices.

• Discovering informational errors ~ much to my surprise, my hospital records list our home phone instead of my husband's cell phone as his contact number; will get that corrected!). 
• I coded  (stopped breathing requiring resusication) during a previous surgery so my anesthesiology report is important to me (knowing what "worked" well is helpful if you become a candidate for another surgery).

 My hospital provided the first 10 pages free of charge; 10 cents for additional pages.  Definitely worth $7.80 I paid.  I'll scan them onto a disc and keep for future reference.

Blessings2011

Great advice, Miles2Go!

In addition to the printed reports, Kaiser now offers your complete medical history on a flash drive. I think the cost is $5, and you can take it in to be updated as things get added.

dreaming

I have a copy of any note from all my doctors an RN notes, some hospitals want to charge per page, to go around it, my doctors sends me what is sent to her.

Also as you pointed there are mistakes, years back I was gong to have surgery in my hand to remove some benign tumors and the medical history my surgeon had in his had said I had a "coronary transplant"I had a corneal transplant!

There are programs where you can store your information.

I have my charts per doctor,eye, dermatologist[ have skin cancer;], etc, etc.

Sherryc

I ask for all my reports as well.  I have a new BS and PS and they post their notes online in a pdf format which I love.  I had ADH and lumpectomy 14 years ago and when BC hit it was hard going back and getting my records so once I did I have made sure I get everything and keep it in a notebook.  When I get time I am going to scan them. Since getting copies I have found some minor errors and have asked for them to be corrected.