Get your own medical records

1. Ask the place that has them

The quickest way is usually the patient portal: the website or app where you see test results. Look for “download”, “export” or “share my record”. If there is no portal, ask the medical records office. They may ask you to put the request in writing; if so, they have to tell you that.

Caring for someone? A personal representative, such as a person with legal authority to make health decisions for them, has the same right to ask.

2. Say the form you want

A file on your phone, a PDF by email, or paper. They must give it to you in the form you ask for if they can readily produce it that way; if not, as a readable paper copy or another form you both agree on.

3. Know what they must do

• Answer within 30 days. They can take one more 30 days, but only once, and only if they tell you in writing why and by when.
• They may charge a reasonable fee for the cost of copying and mailing. They cannot charge for searching for or pulling your records.
• They cannot refuse because you still owe them for care.
• A therapist's separate psychotherapy notes are not included.
• If something in the record is wrong, you can ask them to correct it. They must answer, and if they disagree you can add a statement saying why.

4. Keep the copy where you are

Save the file on your phone, or keep the paper with the family's other care papers. It is yours. No website, this one included, needs a copy.

To keep care papers together on your own device, there is the family file at comfortcard.org.

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