A specialist wants your chart, but the portal shows only part of it. Learn how to request medical records: start in the patient portal, then send a signed written request to the provider’s health information management department.
Quick answer
Work up the ladder only as far as you need. Each step costs more effort than the one before, and most people stop early.
- Portal first: check what the patient portal already lets you view or download.
- Records department second: send a signed request to the health information management department, not to the clinic desk.
- Written follow-up third: keep a dated copy of the request so any delay can be shown.
- Complaint last: a state medical board complaint is the escalation if a physician does not comply.
If the records are needed to dispute a denial, the guide on what to do when insurance denies a claim shows how they fit into an appeal.
Check the patient portal first
The patient portal is the quickest route when it holds what you need. Bon Secours, for example, tells patients they can view their medical records through MyChart, and HCA Midwest says its hospital portal gives access to most records.
The limit is that a portal rarely shows everything. HCA Midwest notes that some records may only be available through the hospital Medical Records office. If a visit note, imaging report or older record is missing from the portal, do not keep searching it. Move to a formal request.
- Log in and look for a records, health summary or download section.
- List what is missing, such as a date range, a department or a type of record.
- Carry that list into the request to the records office so the request is specific.
Send the request to the right office
Address the request to the provider’s health information management department, sometimes called medical records or release of information. MUSC Health states plainly that requests should not be submitted to a provider’s office or clinic. Sending it to the front desk of a clinic is the most common reason a request stalls.
Large systems often route requests through a release of information partner. Bon Secours offers an online request through a secure website hosted by its partner, and it also accepts a completed form by fax or mail. Choose the online option when it exists, because it leaves a record of when the request was made.
Identity checks
Expect to prove who you are. Bon Secours asks for a copy of photo ID with mailed or faxed forms. The California Medical Board says physicians may require reasonable verification of identity before records are inspected or copied. Include the ID copy with the first request instead of waiting to be asked.
Complete the authorization form correctly
An incomplete form is the other usual cause of delay. MUSC Health sets out what a valid authorization must contain, and a form missing any of these items can be sent back.
- Signature and date: the authorization must be signed and dated by the patient, or by a minor’s representative.
- Who releases and who receives: the form must identify both the party authorized to release the records and the party who may receive them. When the records are coming to you, name yourself as the recipient.
- Expiration: a valid authorization must contain an expiration date or an event on which the request expires.
MUSC Health also notes that, with limited exceptions, covered entities may not condition treatment or coverage on a patient providing an authorization. A provider cannot normally make your care depend on signing a broad release.
One distinction matters in California. The Medical Board explains that transfers between providers are not covered by the state access law, and physicians will require a signed records release form to transfer records. Use the access route when the records are coming to you, and the release form when they are going to another provider.
Put the request in writing
A written request gives you a date to point to later. Mail or fax works when a provider has no online option, and it is the version that matters most if a complaint becomes necessary.
- Use the provider’s own release form where one exists, and attach the photo ID copy.
- State what you want in plain terms: which dates of service, which departments and which types of record.
- Say how you want to receive them, whether paper, electronic copy or portal release.
- Keep a copy of everything and note the date it was sent.
Bon Secours warns that there may be a cost involved for mailed or faxed requests, so ask about fees when you submit rather than after the records are prepared.
Timelines and delivery
How quickly records arrive depends on the state and on the delivery method. The figures below come from two real examples and are not universal deadlines.
| Situation | Stated timing | Planning use |
|---|---|---|
| California physician, copies of records | Within 15 days of receiving the request | Diary a follow-up for the day after that point. |
| California physician, requested summary | Within 10 working days of the request, and up to 30 days if extended | Ask for a summary only when a short overview will do. |
| HCA Midwest hospital, records by mail | Shipped within 5-7 business days after processing | Allow for processing time before mailing begins. |
| HCA Midwest hospital, records by email | 1-2 business days after processing | Choose email when time matters and the hospital offers it. |
Timing figures come from the Medical Board of California and HCA Midwest; other states and providers set their own limits.
The practical judgement is simple. Electronic delivery is usually the faster choice when offered, and paper is the better one only when you need printed pages. Whichever you choose, state it in the request.
What copies cost
Fees are set by state law and provider policy, and the examples differ. A California physician may charge a copying fee not exceeding 25 cents per page, plus reasonable clerical costs. In South Carolina, MUSC Health applies a statutory rate of $0.07 per page for personal paper copies, with a fee of no more than $50.00. MUSC Health charges $6.50 plus tax for personal requests delivered electronically or on DVD.
For a long chart, the flat electronic rate at MUSC Health can be far lower than per-page copying. Ask for the fee schedule before approving a large paper order, and request a narrower date range if the cost is high. If a copying charge becomes a billing dispute, how to negotiate a medical bill covers the approach. Charges for records are separate from your plan’s cost sharing, which deductible vs copay vs coinsurance explains.
When a provider delays or refuses
A doctor generally cannot refuse a patient’s request for ordinary records, but there are narrow exceptions. In California, a physician may refuse a request to see or copy mental health records only if the physician determines that releasing them would pose a substantial risk of significant adverse consequences. A refusal on any other ground is worth questioning in writing.
Escalate in this order:
- Send a short follow-up to the health information management department that cites your original request and its date.
- Ask the department to state in writing the reason for any refusal or delay.
- File a complaint with the state medical board if a physician still does not comply.
The Medical Board of California says patients may file a complaint if a physician does not comply, and the complaint should include a copy of the written request. This is why the earlier steps matter. Stop escalating as soon as the records arrive complete.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get my records through a patient portal?
Often yes. Hospital portals typically cover most records, though some may only be released by the medical records office, so a formal request fills the gaps.
Where should the request be sent?
Send it to the designated health information management site or release of information service. A provider’s own clinic is not the right destination.
How much can a provider charge for copies?
It depends on state law and provider policy. California caps physician copying at 25 cents per page plus reasonable clerical costs, while MUSC Health lists $0.07 per page up to $50.00 for paper.
How long does a provider have to release records?
California gives physicians 15 days from receipt of a request for copies. Other states and providers set their own limits, so check the local rule when you submit.
Can a doctor refuse to give me my records?
Only in narrow cases, such as the California exception for certain mental health records. If a physician does not comply, a medical board complaint is the next step.