Medical Records

What is Medical Records?

Medical Records, known as Health Information Management, is the department that maintains all the records about your health care. Your Medical Record is an important, private document. In it is recorded information about your visits to your doctors, any tests you may have had (such as in the laboratory, x-ray department or elsewhere), any information about medical center stays and comments from your health care providers. It is the road map for your health and health care throughout your life. Should you need emergency care or care elsewhere; your medical record helps ensure that the person helping you is aware of your medical history, conditions and previous treatments.

Privacy with Your Medical Records

There are many rules and guidelines to make sure your records remain private or confidential, such as:

• We can release records to other physicians or health care facilities without your consent for follow up care or if it is a medical emergency. When records are released we take reasonable precautions that the physician is providing follow up care, that the patient is transferring, etc.
• Patients cannot get a copy of a spouses' records unless he or she signs a form giving us permission.
• When you "sign up" for Worker's Compensation benefits you have agreed to release medical record information about that injury to Worker's Comp. If they need anything else, such as old records, we need your consent.
• We require identification before we will release your records even to you.
• We do not release confidential information over the phone.

Getting Copies of Your Medical Records:

If you would like a copy of your record, we will be glad to help you complete a written request located in our department. If you are unable to come to the hospital to fill out the form, we will accept a signed letter from the patient or legal guardian indicating whose records are to be sent, where they are to be sent, and the dates of service. We will mail the records as soon as possible. By state law we are allowed to charge fees for making copies of the records under certain circumstances. The standard fee is $ .50 per page or a $5.00 flat fee whichever is greater.