Accessing Your Medical Records: A Comprehensive Guide

Locating your medical history can be an important first step in your treatment or the treatment of those close to you. Your medical records document all your doctor or hospital visits, any medications taken, any conditions you were diagnosed with and any treatments you may have had. This history can be used to determine new treatment plans, prevent implementing previously harmful or unsuccessful treatments and screen for conditions.

Instructions

• 1

  Call the hospital's medical records departments where you received treatment to determine if your medical records are located there.

• 2

  Visit the hospital and fill out a release form at the hospital's medical records department. This release form is a request for the hospital to release your records to you. You will specify the types of records you are requesting, then sign and date the form.

• 3

  Call all doctors offices where you received treatment and ask if they still have your medical records. Some offices will only keep your records for a certain period of time.

• 4

  Visit the doctors' offices where you received treatment and fill out a release form. This form is similar to the one you would fill out at a hospital.

• 5

  Send a letter to the doctors' offices where you received treatment if they do not have release forms. State your birth date, your full name, dates when you were at the doctor's office and the type of medical information you require.