How to Request Medical Records From Kaiser

Kaiser Permanente, an integrated managed health care organization founded in 1945, is comprised of a health care insurance plan program, hospitals/hospital subsidiaries, and Permanente medical groups. The hospitals and medical groups care for patients within the Kaiser health care plan program. According to Kaiser, medical records are kept with each patient's doctor or doctors; therefore, they must be requested separately from all physicians. Kaiser recommends patients keep a copy of their own medical records for their personal files.

Instructions

• 1

  Request your medical records directly from each physician you have visited that is covered under your Kaiser health care program. For instance, if you would like to obtain all of your medical records, you will need to contact each primary care physician and specialist separately and directly. If you are under 18 years of age, your parent must request these records from your primary care physician. According to HSC Section 123100, health care programs are required to dispatch your medical records to you upon request, but can charge up to $0.25 per page, as of December 2010.

• 2

  Prepare a medical record request on a typed sheet of paper. Include the name, address and contact telephone number of the patient. If the patient is 18 years of age or younger, include the name, address and contact telephone number of the parent or guardian. Submit this request by mail or certified mail in conjunction with your verbal request. Some primary care physicians and specialists may accept requests through e-mail or an online form on their website, but such protocol is different with each doctor.

• 3

  Keep a spreadsheet or list of all of the doctors from whom you have requested medical records. Make sure to note the time and date of the request as well as whom you spoke with and/or the address to which you sent your request.