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How do I get my medical records sent to a new doctor?

Updated Oct 19, 20261 min readAnswer
On this pageShort answer What to do Common questions Related questions Sources
Short answer

Ask the new office to request the transfer, or download your own copies from the portal. HIPAA guarantees access within 30 days at cost-based fees, and portal downloads are free.

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What to do

1Sign a release at the new office- the simplest path; offices transfer records directly.
2Check the patient portal- labs, notes, and reports often download instantly, free.
3Be specific in requests- recent notes, labs, and imaging reports, not the whole chart.
4Cite HIPAA if stalled- 30 days is the federal standard, per HHS.

Common questions

How do I get my medical records sent to a new doctor?

You have a federal right to your medical records, and the process is more boring than the reputation. HIPAA gives you the right to see and get copies of your records - and to have them sent to someone else, like a new doctor, with your signed direction. HHS is explicit that providers generally must respond within 30 days and may only charge a reasonable, cost-based fee. Two routes. Route one: tell the new office you are transferring care - they will usually hand you a records-release form, you fill in the old provider's name, and the offices handle the transfer between themselves. Route two: ask the old office for your own copy - most patient portals let you download visit summaries, labs, and imaging reports instantly, and for anything not in the portal you submit a records request in writing. Either way, be specific: "the last two years of office notes, labs, imaging reports, and the medication list" moves faster than "everything." Watch the fee games: copying fees are allowed but must be cost-based, and portal downloads are free. If an office stalls past 30 days, a polite second request citing your HIPAA access right usually unsticks it - and HHS accepts complaints. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text. It can help you figure out exactly what to request for your situation.

About this page. Written and maintained by the Pymander Health team. Last updated September 3, 2026.

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