Does the new doc. absolutely need the records to see you or could you have them forwarded to the new doc after your first visit?

I have had docs take a long time to get records sent, especially the busy ones. Sometimes if you are upset with them when leaving they could take their time. You have a legal right to the records upon written request...time limit is another issue. You may have to ask again in writing via ceritfied mail. Sometimes there is an administration fee to get records...they are often incomplete and you have to go back and ask for missing pieces....get as much as you can

Perhaps you can ask your new doc to request the records for you. I have found in the past that things seem to move faster from one doc to another via fax.

Good luck,
Melanie

So I'd advise you to go there and do this. While there, I'd also ask to REVIEW YOUR FILE there to get an idea what's in there and how detailed reports really are.

I asked for a copy going back 1 year plus specific tests of skin biopsies, etc. to take to my beginner LLMD. They gave me these.

There is NO FEE to get copies when going to another dr!

I then read thru them all and underlined/high-lited the most important stuff so new dr. could just skim reports when I was there with him.

I am from your area and in the process of researching docs for my 1st visit.

Please email me.

The law varies state-to-state in the US. Drs are required to keep your records for a certain period of time, and you are entitled to copies during that time. If the doctor isn't cooperative, you can involve your state health dept. First, find out the law in your state and what you'd need to do.

I did this recently, and it's been a long process. Finally, the doctor is "helping" to track down records--rather than simply discarding certified mail, etc.-- though I have lost a year's worth of records in the administrative process as well as two years' SSDI because they needed his records, as he was my treating physician during that time.

Do call the health agency in your state capital to find out precisely what the law is where you are and the steps you'll need to take. Hopefully your dr's office will cooperate before you have to take too many of them -- for me each required waiting periods that added up (send letter, wait x weeks, have agency send letter, wait X weeks, etc...)

I still don't have them, and I'm still working with the state agency. I'm in NY, and the person who works for the state has been wonderful.

How does seeing a doctor at midnight make any sense????

I have never heard of such a thing.

watch how quickly they give it to you. I've had to do this with my kids pediatrician when i was switching to dr. jones..they refused..i stood in their waitign room adn proceeded to tell alltheir parents etc..how they botched testeing on lyme disease adn how sick my kids got, and how they almost died etc., and i was pulling my kids from their practice etc...

I was given my kids files within minutes..this was after a month long fight...AND htey had told me i had to pay $1 a page, which i refused to pay...and i didn't have to. they were happy to get rid of me from their waitng room. I had told them i would come back every day adn keep repeating my story to all their parents unless they turned itover..

if htey wanted to be nasty, i can play right back! and it worked. I was more concerned with getting my kids files so dr. jones could have what he needed to treat them properly. that was my main objective here....