There are many reasons why you might need copies of your medical records. At Summit Healthcare, we make it easy for patients to obtain their medical records for when they need them.
Why might I need copies of my medical records?
Medical records are important, and may be obtained for some of the following reasons:
- Compiling family medical history. Knowing your family medical history can be essential in understanding how genetics can impact your overall health. This information also allows doctors the opportunity to monitor for certain conditions and diagnose patients faster and more accurately. Tracking down copies of medical records may need to be done through several different practices.
- Moving. If you are moving to a new state, it is imperative that you obtain copies of your medical records and have them transferred to your new physician. This ensures there are no gaps in treatments and services, especially for individuals who have been diagnosed with chronic conditions that need to be maintained with regular services.
- Appointments with a new specialist. If your doctor at Summit Healthcare has referred you to a medical specialist, you will want your medical records transferred to the new office to allow the doctor the opportunity to review your medical backgrounds and the treatments that have been performed in the past.
- Changing physicians. Sometimes, patients want to get a second opinion regarding their healthcare. Obtaining a copy of medical records and bringing them to a new physician is recommended to speed up the diagnostic and treatment process of many health concerns.
How to I obtain my medical records from Summit Healthcare?
Our office understands the situations that may occur in which patients might need to access and obtain their medical records from Summit Healthcare. If you are in need of medical records, we welcome you to request a copy by completing the online form here on our website. The form is called “Authorization to Use and Disclose” and can be filled out and mailed to our practice, or brought in personally to our Administrative Services Building at 4951C on the 2nd Floor. Patients can also visit our Administrative Services Building to fill out a hardcopy of the form if they are unable to access our website or print out the form at home.