Prep for medical records going to the USA

[carslo 0]

I was at my doctor's today get the Adecpt vaccination. I was asking her about my medical records and going to the States. She said that once I get a doctor in California, they will write asking for my records, then my doctor would send me a release form to sign, and I would have to pay a photocopying fee for her office to make a copy for use in California. The records are her property, and I can't have the orginals. To save time etc, she suggested I sign the release before I go and pay the fee ( $20.00) for photocopying so that no time is lost once I go south.

I thought that this was a good suggestion. Just thought I would pass this one, especially the part about the release of information form - maybe some drs don't charge for photocopying the records but it is another additional expense that needs to be considered.

Janet

Edited April 17, 2009 by carslo

[Hugglebuggles 60]

Oh grand. I've had the same doctor for 21 years so I'm sure my medical file is nice and thick too But thanks for the heads up!

[SapphireDreams 71]

I don't plan on sending over my medical file.

I actually switched Dr.'s here when I was about 18 and never sent over my medical file. It's not completely necessary in my opinion. My new Dr. just asked me a series of questions to get up to speed and that was that.

Unless my new Dr. insists, I'm not going to bother.

My dentist gave me my last set of Xrays to take with me, and he said that's all they will need to see my whole history.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

My doctors were nicer than yours. Both my GP and my endocrinologist made me copies of my medical records at no charge (I would have paid for photocopying) to bring with me for my US doctors. One thing you will find that is different here - you pay for the medical tests so you are entitled to receive the medical reports yourself - they are not the doctor's property. That is one thing that I do like because I can review the results and ask questions about things that the doctor might not have thought were worth discussing with me. Same with MRIs - I have them and bring them to appointments if necessary. The hospital, however, keeps the ones they did but 'lend' them to me to bring to medical appointments, if required. My dentist even gave me x rays of a tooth that needed work by a specialist. My doctors here very much appreciated having my medical file as it provided them with baseline reports that they could use for comparison purposes with the tests they did.

[Emancipation 2]

hmmm I'm like Kathryn, and got them before I left, but I did pay a $25 fee (my file is huge though - same Dr. since birth), so it wasnt' a bother.. there was a release form I had to fill out, so make sure they don't require that too. My Dr. allowed me just to take a copy, when I found a Dr. here in the US, he just had one of his staff copy it (no charge to me), and I took my original copies home. Instant patient file

I did also take my dentist files as well, but my dentists here wanted nothing to do with them.. they all want to do their own x-rays & rack up bills and rip people off.. (can you tell I don't like dentists?)

Edited April 17, 2009 by Emancipation

[thetreble 19]

Wow- I'm always impressed by some of you guys...this is something I never really thought of to be honest.

But at my age, I really haven't had any ailments that can't be explained in about 5 seconds so...I guess it wasn't a big deal.

[beans 7]

Since I moved to Manitoba I haven't had a family doctor. So I have spent many a years going to various walk-ins around the city. Like treble I think the worst thing that has happened to me was mono so really two seconds to say 'I had mono' is all thats necessary. I remember reading on the DOS website about getting your medical records before I found VJ so went to a few walk-ins and they said they can't/won't do it. I gave up on it lol

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Before I left - I had the same conversations with my Drs and dentist. I have definitely medical history, nothing special ...and they metioned it was a fee per page (cannot remember the amount now)

Since moving and having my first Dr's visit and many more in the last 1.5 yrs. I've never actually gone back and asked for my medical records in Canada. Like I said, I have the history of ovarian cysts but honestly they had to run a whole slew of tests on me anyway after my first physical and I was able to provide the names of any medications I took or was taking.

In hind sight - it turns out my old Cdn Dr didn't have his head on straight...he had prescribed a BC which wasn't working well, because he was so stretched for time...he frankly never had more then a few minutes for me (yay lack of Drs in ON) per visit. I've pretty much had total evaluation since moving here,and things have gone really well.

Same went for the dentist - sure they could have asked for my old records, but I have healthy teeth, no cavities at almost 39 and once they had a look inside, they knew what they were dealing with - my dental history wasn't worth much .