Fees for hospital records

[weaura]

Generally speaking do hospitals charge for physician reports / medical records? And is there a time limit on how long they keep them? I need stuff from 2004 and 2007, and I'm really hoping they'll have my records from that far back.

 

[southernlady]

Most places have some kind of "record keeping" fee for the time it takes to generate copies of your records. I don't know if they will have all of what you need that far back within easy access, they may have them in their archives and that hunt may cause a fee.

They will, if they have them, provide copies straight to the doctors office that request them for free, but for an individual to get them typically has a fee. NOT always but typically.

During one of my moves, we asked for our PCP for our records to take with us to our new home...his office gave them to us for free and the folders were HUGE. But that was HIGHLY unusual.

 

[weaura]

The form that OHSU sent that authorizes the release of records does not mention a fee. I've seen people here mention having their surgery report on hand -- why is that a recommendation?

 

[k9ophile]

Many doctors have no idea what is done to achieve a DS. Therefore having the report can educate other physicians as well as help the patient understand his/her altered anatomy.

Most states have laws regarding the retention of medical records. It is 10 years in TN. Minors' records must be kept for ten years after they reach age 18. I have worked in hospitals that purge the records of any patient who has not been seen for ten years. Other hospitals never destroy records. I retired from medical records and have no clue where those hospitals keep all that paper if they don't use some type of microfilm.

I keep my own records because I want them just in case. I love being able to scan them to my hard drive or disc/flash drive. And as Southern Lady mentioned, if one moves around frequently, it is useful to have your own records.

Releasing records to another provider is often done with no charge as a professional courtesy. By law, hospitals are allowed to charge a minimal fee for copies. I sincerely believe that with all the manual labor it takes to retrieve paper records, copy them, and mail them that most patients who pay for them are getting a bargain. Retrieving records from microfilm can also be time consuming. While it's true that the information belongs to the patient, the paper and microfilm belong to the hospital. It's all a matter of law.

 

[DSRIGGS]

In addition to the informational aspect for your PCP and other providers, you also want your surgical record so you know exactly what your surgeon did to your body. It was very important for me to know the lengths of my common channel and alimentary limbs when I encountered malnutrition issues.

Regarding fees it does differ by institution. Cameron is in the process of determining whether he has a suit against the Piece of Sh*t who F$&ked him up royally and then withheld crucial information from us that caused 2 years of absolute misery for the kid (21 now)...medical misery that led to very serious psychological issues that he is just now getting a grasp on. In any case the attorney needed his records to review and from just the one hospital that he has been using since 16 when he had cancer and spent 6 months at the Children's Hospital of Illinois' St Jude floor which is part of OSF St Francis in Peoria (the only level 1 trauma center downstate where my original DS surgeon happens to be Director of Trauma), he had 3 boxes 8.5x11x12 full of records. They didn't charge anything.

BTW - if the suit happens it will be against the surgeon (part of my DS Surgeon), that group (PSG) and OSF (numerous things the sons of bi&%ches did that were improper/unethical). The problem is the bar is high in these medical malpractice cases as you have to prove that the mistake made by the surgeon wasn't a reasonable risk of the surgery, regardless of how sloppy the surgeon was. For instance the fact that this F&%k cut Cameron's vagus nerve and invaded both pleural spaces during his repair of the Nissen Fundoplication by this guy that failed and didn't tell us of either, while unethical as hell isn't enough to bring suit. BTW, Cameron has his surgery 3 days after my DS and instantly told the nurses he was having trouble breathing and it only took two days for this clown to recognize his right pleural space was full of blood because he had a hemopneumothorax from this guys mistake and he had to go to ICU and get a chest tube inserted (they don't use any anesthesia to do that..they just cut a slot and stick the tube between ribs into the cavity) and what looked like 7 gallons of blood draining for the next week.

Can you tell I am a little bitter?

My apologies, I don't mean to hijack your thread. That just brought back a lot of memories. In any case, one thing this hospital did right was not charge us when Cameron requested his medical records which were substantial.

 

[weaura]

I can understand you're being bitter. I had my lung punctured while I was at OHSU after my reversal. They just sent me home, told me to watch it. I nearly died, then was sent home after that (after being readmitted thru the ER) with a draining tube out my back to go along with the feeding tube (in the front) I already had from the surgery.
That's nothing compared to what Cameron has gone through.
Good luck with your suit.
I'll call the records dept, ask them what they charge.

 

[DSRIGGS]

I can understand you're being bitter. I had my lung punctured while I was at OHSU after my reversal. They just sent me home, told me to watch it. I nearly died, then was sent home after that (after being readmitted thru the ER) with a draining tube out the back to go along with the feeding tube I already had from the surgery.
That's nothing compared to what Cameron has gone through.
Good luck with your suit.
I'll call the records dept, ask them what they charge.

So sorry to hear. You should not have had to deal with that and it isn't minor.

 

[weaura]

I called OHSU, they do not charge for records to be sent to another physician, so I have requested they send information on the original BPDS and the reversal. They said they still have the records.
Although Dr K has not requested them, I asked them to fax them to him as well as Dr Rabkin.
OHSU would charge me to get the records, so I don't know if I'm going to do that or not.

 

[DSRIGGS]

To me your surgical report which your surgeon has is the most important personal item you need.

 

[Larra]

@weaura often the charge, when there is one, is per page, so if you only request your operative reports that would just be a few pages.

 

[k9ophile]

@weaura often the charge, when there is one, is per page, so if you only request your operative reports that would just be a few pages.

Warning: The last place I worked charged $15 for the first ten pages then so much a page for each additional page. Call the medical records department of your hospital and find out. It will be easier for you if you know their policy is in advance. Some places may require a notarized letter if you request them to be mailed to you. If you pick them up in person, you may be required to show a picture ID. HIPAA laws have made hospitals super vigilant about releasing medical information. Or one of the doctors may give you a copy. I got mine from my surgeon.

 

[southernlady]

I got the operative report from my first back surgery from the neurosurgeon in Toledo, OH who did it. Made it super easy when I went for my second back surgery here in BFE, North Carolina much easier. The surgeon here did not have to guess what was done.

As to my Op report from my DS, I called my surgeon's office told them I needed it...picked it up my next trip to Knoxville. I did mention that if something urgent happened, I wouldn't be traveling over 4 hours to get to them as we DO have a good set of hospitals about 25 to 45 miles away. And it would help me explain what was done as no one TO MY KNOWLEDGE knows what a DS here...altho my current PCP is learning.

 

[Charris]

In AZ if the Dr sends them directly to another Dr it's free the first time if you want copies open up your wallet. Anyways that is the way my Dr have dealt with them

 

[weaura]

For me to get the records it will cost 10¢/page but it caps out at $50. I am going to get the records on all 4 of my abdominal surgeries, just so I have them.
Dr Rabkin's office let me know they'd received them and it was what they needed. I haven't heard if Dr K's office received them, but I'm gonna believe they did.