How to Get It
Explore these tips on how to request your health record — it’s your right.
If you want to get your health record, it helps to understand how the process works so you know what to do if you hit a roadblock.
This guide won’t provide you with your health record but instead will teach you how to request it from your health care provider.
How Do I Get Started?
The first step is to check your health care provider’s online patient portal, if they have one. A patient portal is a secure website, where patients can often do things like make appointments, contact their provider, and look at lab results. Some of your health information, like a list of the immunizations you’ve had, may be available through the patient portal.
If the health information you need is not available through the patient portal or your provider does not have an online patient portal, try other ways to ask your provider for your records:
Check Their Website
Information about how to get your health record may be found under the Contact Us section of a provider’s website. It may direct you to an online portal, a phone number, an email address, or a form.
Phone or Visit
You can also call or visit your provider and ask them how to get your health record. Ask for the health information services department or the administrative staff in charge of releasing health records. If you make your request in person, you may need to present ID, like a driver’s license.
Have you tried your provider’s online patient portal?
About 8 in 10 individuals who used their online patient portal found it helpful and easy to understand.
Know your rights. If your health care provider says they can’t provide access to your health record because of HIPAA, tell them that the HIPAA Privacy Rule requires them to give you access to your record. This is your right under the law. Learn more about the HIPAA Privacy Rule and your rights.
Things to Consider
Health records can be hundreds of pages long, so it’s helpful to know what you need. If you’re unsure, ask your provider’s office for guidance.
- Full record: Best when switching to a new primary care provider or for your personal use.
- Partial record: Useful if you want to share specific health information with new providers or others, such as:
- Allergies
- Medications
- Immunizations
- Provider’s notes from a single visit
- Test results or X-rays
Health records can be delivered to you or your care team in several ways, such as PDFs, Word documents, or images.
When requesting your records, think about who will use them. Digital formats are easier to update, share, and store—if you’re comfortable using them.
If you’re sharing records with a new provider, ask which format they prefer. Every office may have its own system for record keeping.
Depending on the format you choose, records can be sent in several ways:
- Secure email via your healthcare provider’s patient portal
- Direct upload to your provider’s EHR system
- Personal (non-secure) email
- CD or USB drive
- Health app of your choice
- Fax
- In-person pick-up at provider’s office
Check with your provider to see which options are available.
In most cases, you can access and share your health record electronically. But, if you need to share physical copies with your care team or a trusted decision-maker, you may need extras. And, some types of data—like older X-rays or MRI scans—may not be available digitally. Ask your provider about copy costs—it’s often cheaper to request one and make additional copies yourself.
How Do I Ask for My Health Record?
How you make your request will depend on your provider’s processes.
You may be able to request your record through your provider’s patient portal. You may have to fill out a form — called a health or medical record release form, or request for access—send an email, or mail or fax a letter to your provider. But a provider cannot impose unreasonable barriers to your access, or unreasonably delay you from getting your records.
The HIPAA Privacy Rule allows health care providers to share information so they can take care of you without needing you to submit a request. So your provider may or may not ask you to fill out a record release form or charge you for sending your record to another provider.
How to Fill Out a Health or Medical Record Release Form
Your provider’s medical request release (or “access request”) form may be organized differently — there is not a standard form — but these are the questions you’re likely to see
Do I Have to Pay a Fee to Get My Health Record?
You may have to pay a fee. Getting your records electronically, through a patient portal, health app, or by email, likely will be free. However, according to your HIPAA Privacy Rule access rights, your provider may charge a reasonable fee to cover only the cost of making or mailing paper or electronic copies.
When you send in the request for your health record, ask your provider how much it will cost to get your record. If you need more than one copy, ask your provider how much each copy will cost and decide whether you will make the copy yourself or ask your provider to do it for you.
Do you want your provider to send information that they keep on paper, or in another non-electronic format, to another person? If so, you will need to fill out an “authorization” form, and your provider can charge a higher fee.
How Long Will I Have to Wait?
According to the HIPAA Privacy Rule, your health care provider can take up to 30 days to deliver your health record. However, if you requested a specific delivery date, you may get your record sooner. If your provider needs more than 30 days, they must give you a reason for the delay and a new delivery date. They can take up to 30 extra days. Some state and other laws have shorter timelines that may apply to your request.
If you request that information that the provider keeps on paper or in another non-electronic format be sent to another person, you will need to fill out a separate “authorization” form, and the HIPAA Privacy Rule does not apply any deadlines for providers to respond.
Calling All Active-Duty Service Members, Veterans, and People with Medicare Coverage!
If you are an active-duty service member, a veteran, or a Medicare beneficiary, you can see and download some of your health information by clicking on the Blue Button icon on your government health plan or provider’s online patient portal.
Look for the Blue Button icon on:
