I think everyone should get a copy of their medical records.

You might learn things the doctors never told you.

If you're in the US it's your legal right - use it!

This is a good idea. When reading my medical records, I found a few errors. They were easily corrected by speaking to the doctor, but I never would have known about them if I had not read my records

I remember being quite shocked at what some doctors wrote when I read my records. One doctor who didn't believe FM was real wrote something close to "hysterical woman" in my chart while another wrote "non-compliant" when I refused to go to physical therapy again when it didn't work the first time.

If you ever have to file for disability it's important that you read your records. My judge zeroed in on the "non-compliant" comment that a rhuemy wrote in my chart and I had to explain myself.

I guess I'm done for the day. The words I think I'm writing are coming out as something entirely different and I've had to check this 3 or 4 times already.

I also agree. Remember they are your records. Yes, I have a copy of everything. And yes you do learn alot about the Dr's from reading thier notes. You also find out things that no one has ever told you. I encourage everyone to be an advocate for yourself. If you don't advocate for yourself, who will? Todays healthcare is not what it use to be, we have to be knowledgeable and advocate. I say this both as I am a nurse who is now a patient sadly watching healthcare decline.

Years ago (before HIPAA which gave us the affirmed right to our records by federal law) I had a friend who worked in my allergist's office.

She was moving away and leaving the job because of her relocation, and she risked her job and her reputation to make a copy of my records and take them with her on her last day. I didn't ask her to - didn't even know she was doing it.

Turned out the reason she did it was because she knew something that she couldn't tell me as long as she was working there. When I was admitted to the ER under the "care" of this doctor, nobody ever told me that when I got there (by ambulance) I had no measurable blood pressure - I was very, very close to death. Then there was the part about how he never even bothered to return the ER's phone call when they tried to get him on the phone.

Knowing you nearly died seems like something people should know - but I never would have if she hadn't thought it was important enough to take the risk and sneak a copy of my records out with her.

Thankfully today you have a legal right affirmed by federal law, if you live in the United States. If anyone tries to tell you otherwise (and some still will) just say "HIPAA." Most people think of it as the "privacy law" but it also contains a provision that says your records must be shared with whoever you ask to have them shared with, and that also means you. Some doctors will only release them to another doctor - they're violating the law. If you ask for them, they must give them to you or be in violation of federal law.

They do have a right to charge you a "reasonable" fee for making the copies. Some people have a problem with that - I don't. Making copies of medical records is a royal pain in the butt, as there are so many different types and sizes of paper, some of which are one-sided, some two-sided, some colored (which doesn't copy well), and all sorts of issues. It's not an easy job and it can be time-consuming. Pay the fee with a smile - it's worth it.

As more hospitals and medical practices automate their patient medical files, accuracy has a bigger impact on us.Our entire file can be electronically forwarded etc.

Some doctors write just abbreviations and/or snarky remarks. Do we want that read by emergency room staff? I haven't read my chart for years (it is 4 fat file volumes long) but back when I was w/ Kaiser I was shocked at uninformed value judgements sprinkled in with solid information.

This post has given me something to think about.