Without a complete, up to date copy of your medical record, it can be difficult or even impossible for a physician to provide the best possible care in a timely manner. Most of us trust hospitals, clinics, labs, and individual physician practices to be the guardians of our medical records. However, this may not be the best course of action. The healthcare system is overburdened in many ways, and facilities don’t always transfer records quickly or store them as securely as they should.
Fortunately, you don’t have to rely on them to facilitate your records transfers to new physicians anymore. With help from Order Medical Records, you can secure your own copy of your medical record and keep it on hand for timely future use. Here are four important reasons why you should act now.
Having a copy of your medical record in hand when you visit a new clinic or specialist can save both time and money. First of all, you can skip the hassle of filling out a new patient health background survey at the new medical office. Secondly, you can avoid any unnecessary or duplicate testing that might have to be ordered if you don’t already have your results in hand.
Having a copy of your medical record with you can make a big difference while traveling. If you happen to be in an accident or have a medical emergency, you can get care tailored to your unique needs more quickly if you can present your medical record directly to the hospital staff. Plus, having your medical record on hand can also get you out of sticky situations where you may be accused of having illegal medications.
Another very important reason to keep your own copy of your medical record is that it helps reduce the risk of loss. Many medical records get destroyed on purpose every year, as physicians typically shred documentation after holding it for seven years. Many more records get destroyed by natural disasters like floods, fire, or tornadoes. Some doctors or hospitals may convert to electronic health records without scanning old peripheral records, which can make those old records very hard to recover. Even records in electronic format are not immune to loss, as system failures could result in your data being lost forever. Order Medical Records can provide you with a paper and/or digital copy of your record for safekeeping.
Records may be spread across multiple providers, making it difficult to access all your records in a timely fashion. By creating your own copy of your medical record now and updating it with new records as care progresses, you can ensure that all specialists have access to complete, up to date sets of records. This improves collaboration between specialists. Order Medical Records makes it easy to consolidate records from multiple sources.