How do I get my medical records?
Last updated September 3, 2026.
Ask - the information in your records is legally yours: HIPAA gives you the right to see and get copies, providers generally must respond within 30 days, and fees must be reasonable and cost-based, per HHS. Fastest routes: the patient portal for results, notes, and med lists (instant, self-serve); a written request to the medical-records (Health Information Management) department for complete charts and imaging - be specific about dates and document types, and choose electronic delivery; or a signed release for office-to-office transfer when switching doctors. They cannot hold records hostage over an unpaid bill. Keep forever once received: problem list, surgeries, medication history with reactions, immunizations, baseline results. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, and can help you decide what to request.
What to do
- Check the portal first: most of it is already there.
- Be specific in written requests: dates, document types, electronic format.
- Unpaid bill? Irrelevant: records cannot be withheld over money.
- Keep the core set forever: problems, surgeries, meds, shots, baselines.
Related questions
- What is a patient portal?
- How do I switch doctors?
- How do I get a second opinion?
- Is my health data private with an online doctor?