Your Rights in My Health Records

It’s your right to review medical records and also a smart decision to monitor the health curve. My Health Records allow the patient to update any information that is vital to your practice. Digital prescriptions and test results are accurate and never lost when accessed from My Health Records.

Traditionally, all medical records are maintained by the primary care provider, but the recent digital trend changed the way of keeping files in the cloud and using them from anywhere. My Health Records made patients take responsibility for record maintenance. Unless your physician gives you access to their healthcare system, you must request any copies.

While designing My Health Records, software providers ensured to protect your privacy. HIPAA regulations are wide and complicated because of which still many providers are making mistakes. Not understanding laws not only limits the potential it holds but also reviews capabilities that are entitled.

Many people have the wrong perspective about access permission to obtain medical copies. Under the law, there are chances for people to look into medical records if they are parents, guardians, caregivers, or legal advocates.

What My Health Records Should Be Comprise Of

Only if certain information is there then it can be said that My Health Records are complete with medical events and histories.

• Disease diagnosis and specific type and stage
• Diagnosed date, time, and location
• Diagnosed test results and pathology reports
• Treatment information, such as drug names, doses, frequency
• All treatments’ start and end dates
• Particular treatment’s complications, side effects, and drug allergies
• Palliative care information - pain management, nausea, or other side effects
• Contact information of treatment centers and family doctor
• Dates and details of major and minor surgeries and hospitalizations
• Immunizations details with the timeline

Denied Records By Your Provider

There are certain medical records to which you have denied access in My Health Records. Mental health records are the main denied records because it contains full of impressions rather than diagnoses.  It may harm the patient-physician relationship.

A provider cannot deny your request as it can be hurtful so they just deny access to few records. Under the law, there are some instances where your health information can be withheld.

If you still feel that you are unfairly denied then you can file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services. You can follow the same if medical confidentiality has been breached.

Conclusion

Keeping track of your medical records might be a difficult and huge task, but it’s worth it in the long run with My Health Records. Manually compiling records is not possible today for each patient and spending few dollars extra to buy features of unlimited patient portal access can make big difference. Patients who are treated under EMR and EHR Software have complete rights to see medical files.