You know that piece of paper they hand you when you walk out of your doctor’s office?
Those are not your medical records! Those are visit summaries.
Or the document they hand you when you say “Can I have the record from today’s visit?”
Nope, that often is not your complete record.
Or those documents you see in your online doctor’s account?
These may not be your full records either!
The records often do not include full treatment notes. They include part of your treatment notes but not everything your doctor has written.
In the ideal world, you want to get your complete records with all treatment notes.
Mental and Physical Health
For physical health you should always be able to collect your full records.
For mental health, some doctors will make it more difficult to access your records, but it is usually still possible. How to Get Psych Records
How To Get Your Records
You can get your records from the person or department that manages records at your doctors office.
When you request your records, they may charge you a fee, and they may also ask you to sign release forms. Hint: If they are not asking you to sign things and pay for things, that is a sign that you may not be getting your full records.
If you are applying for disability, you may be able to get them through your lawyer or through Social Security. How to Collect All Your Medical Records (Keyword: All)
Cautionary Tale
Jim thought he had collected all his records and read everything and was all ready for his hearing. Then, after the hearing, he got a denial notice and it quoted all these things in his records that he had never seen before!! We would not wish this on anyone. Please get your full records if at all possible.
Happy Tale
Cherry Blossom thought she had read all her records. Then she learned she hadn’t! Luckily, she took some steps to change things. Read Cherry Blossom’s story.
Thanks for Reading
🌸 This page is part of the free online guide: The Sleepy Girl Guide to Social Security Disability
🌸 Art on this page by Robin Mead and Elizabeth D’Angelo.
🌸 Page Updated: 9/1/19
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The only thing here that tells me anything about how to tell if there are secret medical records about me is the Hint that if they don’t make you pay or sign a release form you may not be getting all your records..but that’s not enough to go on for me to go accusing my medical providers of withholding medical records. Isn’t there any other way to find out if there are secret medical records about me?
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No one is suggesting accusing anyone of withholding anything. Just make sure you’re viewing your complete notes, not visit summaries.
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This is an excellent point that sometimes someone else’s records can wind up in your file.
In Jim’s case I think it was that he was looking at visit summaries, and never read his full treatment notes. He requested his records, but they only gave him the visit summaries. The things were actually written by his doctor, he just had never seen it so didn’t realize the types of things his doctor was writing.
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Tell us more about “Jim”.
Did “Jim” ever get copies of the records that were being quoted to him and find out why he did not know that they ever existed?
Were they accurate? Were they even his records or were they papers about someone else put in his file by mistake? (Or even on purpose to interfere with his claims?)
Did they come from a health insurance company, a database company, or maybe some other place his medical information had been sold off to or provided to for some other purpose?
(Examples: The companies the insurers outsource info to about you for things like diagnostic test approvals, prescription plans, “case management,” subrogation claims, efficiency experts, surveys and so on?
Places like “Experian Health” “Optum” “PressGaney” “HMS” “MIB” and on and on?”
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You rock Sleepy Girl! Im so jealous of your ability to write so well and help us so much!
Its SOOOO MUCH HELP to have the resources you create so I can print them out and read a little at a time and refer back to them each time i need to. You should see how many post its and things like your articles I have taped to my bed and my bedroom mirror- it’s rediculous! Lol. I am SOOO GRATEFUL for you!
🦋💜🤗 Sending you love and hugs and lots of spoons!
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You rock Sleepy Girl! Im so jealous of your ability to write so well and help us so much!
Its SOOOO MUCH HELP to have the resources you create so I can print them out and read a little at a time and refer back to them each time i need to. You should see how many post its and things like your articles I have taped to my bed and my bedroom mirror- it’s rediculous! Lol. I am SOOO GRATEFUL for you!
🦋💜🤗 Sending you love and hugs and lots of spoons!
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