Disposing of medical records

[birdmom]

Yesterday, a coworker had to call her family doctor to get copies of her daughter's medical records, who is starting work with a school district next week. They need records of all her vaccinations, etc. When she picked up the paperwork, only one vaccine from six months ago was on the paperwork, and minimal information for the rest of her history.

They have moved from state to state a few times, each time paying to have medical records transferred so that each doctor has the complete medical records from birth on. So, this doctor should have had her daughter's records from birth. The nurse told my coworker that the doctor reviews records that he receives and throws out what he deems is not important. My coworker is pissed. Is this normal practice for a doctor's office?

[womet]

How is record of a vaccination not important? I'd be annoyed, especially if I'd paid to have those records transferred. In the future, I would keep a copy of the records for myself and give one to the new doctor.

[Deleted]

Not at all. Doctors are required by law to keep records for at least 6 (maybe more depending on your state) years AFTER the last visit.

[rubytue]

Wow. I'd be really annoyed.

But I also have my own copy, too. Then again, I have enough issues I need it. lol

[Deleted]

Sept 20, 2012 8:02:49 GMT -5 trixieflips said:

Not at all. Doctors are required by law to keep records for at least 6 (maybe more depending on your state) years AFTER the last visit.

They are required to keep their own records for at least 6 years-- not the records of other doctors. Most physicians probably would have kept the transferred records, but it really isn't their responsibility to be the filling cabinet for all your coworker's daughters medical records from birth. She should keep her own copies/records.

[birdmom]

Sept 20, 2012 8:26:50 GMT -5 @lilly said:

Sept 20, 2012 8:02:49 GMT -5 trixieflips said:

Not at all. Doctors are required by law to keep records for at least 6 (maybe more depending on your state) years AFTER the last visit.

They are required to keep their own records for at least 6 years-- not the records of other doctors. Most physicians probably would have kept the transferred records, but it really isn't their responsibility to be the filling cabinet for all your coworker's daughters medical records from birth. She should keep her own copies/records.

Gotcha. So, there's a chance that her previous doctors could have kept a copy of the records that they tranferred?