Medical records

NicoleD54 · December 2011

Did anyone request their medical records? I had a high risk doctor I saw and was supposed to continue to see every other week. I called to request my medical records today for two main reasons. 1. Owen had a heart defect that she was hesitant to say much about before I had the fetal echo done, so I never got the details. Also, I feel like this information could be important to my future children's pediatricians in case it is hereditary mostly because I also have a congenital heart defect. 2. When the tech measured my cervix I remember what he wrote on the screen, and I'm pretty sure it was cause for concern, but it was not mentioned to me. I ended up going into labor 2 weeks later and being diagnosed with an incompetent cervix. The first reason is much more important to me because I have no interest in pursuing any kind of argument against her.

Would it be rude to request my records from my primary ObGyn? I don't want him to feel like I am challenging him, but I have had situations in the past where my records have been lost. I do not plan to change doctors for my next pregnancy.

weddedwife · December 2011

I requested my medical records. I pored through pages and pages of them looking for some answer but there was none, and we still don't know why I went into labor. They're just "guessing" that it's incompetent cervix, although my cervix was long & closed when I was checked a few days prior.

I don't think it's rude at all- you have a legal right to obtain your own medical records.

lalaellac · December 2011

I requested mine from the hospital medical records drpt. I was really upset reading it bc in the autopsy they called the "specimen" "products of conception." my DD was a full term baby, but stillborn. It was very upsetting to me. Just to warn you....

Carolee · December 2011

DH and I were just talking about doing this. They have to give them to you if you ask, right?

emizer · December 2011

I just requested my hospital records yesterday and I'm requesting the OB records today. I don't plan on switching doctors either but I want full access to all the information. I posted below about a mixup for a test that was run --- I feel like the office might get a little defensive because they might think I think they did something wrong. I don't care though. It's worth it to me.

magdalina.h · December 2011

I didn't request my medical records, but I know a lot of parents do.

roxyttandme · December 2011

Your medical records belong to you - not the hospital/Dr. Request them! I have found that it is crucial that we are our own advocates when it comes to medical stuff.

I say do it!

Buckets of Moonbeams · December 2011

Ditto Roxy- those records are yours! Don't feel bad at all about requesting copies of them.

Cercamom2011 · December 2011

Ask away. They are your records about your pregnancy. You might make them aware that you do not plan to change doctors (just in case they want to charge more for the records, than if they were personal use). I hope you find the information you hope to find.

NicoleD54 · December 2011

Carolee:
DH and I were just talking about doing this. They have to give them to you if you ask, right?

Yes, you are entitled to a copy of everything, but they do charge you a fee.

mdluv21 · December 2011

Yes I requested mine (I am switching doctors though.) I wanted to make sure I knew everything that went wrong so we can do our best to control it next time.

Some parts were very hard to read though. (Very graphic descriptions of the babies post-mortem.)

MeggM1 · December 2011

We requested all of mine, my daughter's, and my son's records through the hospital. I switched OB's about 6 weeks PP and when my new OB requested records they sent a VERY incomplete file. It was at that point that I wanted to make sure I had everything, and have also obtained all my pregnancy records from my OB. The hospital tried to charge us over $200 for the records, but I went to risk management and they waived the fees.

Like other people said they can be very hard to read - I Iearned a lot about my daughter's care while she was in the NICU that I didn't know and we had an autopsy, and reading that report was very hard. You have a right to your records though and even if you can't read them now, they are probably much easier to obtain sooner rather than later and if part of you wants them, my advice would be absolutely to get them.

cjsmom79 · December 2011

I requested my records and my sons because I had no concept of what happened o either of us as it was happening. While I was in the Hospital I just felt like they were "doing things" without explaining why and then with my son I felt blindsided in the NICU because they kept telling me how good he was doing and then BAM ! I walked in one day and they told me to brace for there being no more options. How did we get to that when yesterday he was eating and growing ? Very odd.

It was hard to read, I did get answers. I didnt like the answers, but for me it truly gave me some medical closure. I know what happened to me and my son. I know that there really is "no one" to blame for Caleb's death and that his death truly was imminent. But yes they charged me, they wanted .75 a page in WNY where I live and the girl in Medical Records felt to bad for me ( since she listened to my whole story ) that she charged me a flat 200.00 for around 14,000 pieces of paper.

Good Luck !

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