Because I've applied for health insurance three times in the last four years, I have copies of a lot of my records. Requesting them is usually not difficult; it's a phone call to each office to find out how they handle it; one form, or maybe two, to fill out and fax/mail to the office; and an invoice that arrives afterwards.
I don't request copies unless they're demanded by an insurer, though. Not worth the $$ to me.
Not sure if the question is relevant to Canadians, but if I wanted my medical records I'd need to pay $1 per page for my doctor to copy them for me. My doctor's office is completely computerized so I'm hopeful that at some point we'll be able to log in and access them.
For the most part, having limited access to them doesn't bother me - I think I know the things I need to know about my health.
If my medical history were complex enough that accurate records of the history would inform future management, I'd think about having a copy for myself (in case something happened to my doctor and I couldn't get access to her records).
But my history is more of "what's done is done" like a little wrist fracture, some abnormal screens that were followed by normal diagnostics.
The only thing that might be interesting for the future is my bone density scan, but again, management will depend only on a future scan.
It's expensive enough to get copies made that it's not worth it.
I've done it once or twice, when I've been moving while something is ongoing (say, I needed to follow up on some tests but not immediately). It's cost me about $20. My current GP offers it in his "all administrative things" package, which I didn't get. ($75/year, and it includes copies of records, school/work forms, and various other paperwork people want doctors to do). I'll probably do it if/when I change GPs, since I've had this guy for over a decade, and as far as I know, it just requires me to ask, and pay a bit of money, then pick them up the next week.
Personally, I just keep track of things on my own. But it's less important to cross every T since I don't have to apply for health insurance.
Do you recall if that $20 was for the entire file or if it was something akin to what nobodyhere mentions above at $1/page, and your file just happened to be about 20 pages long? I'm trying to get an idea of whether the $1 is a common rate or an anomalous datapoint.
I can't remember exactly, but it was less than $1/page. I think there was some magic formula with a minimum around $20, and a per page charge, and a maximum of maybe $50.
Like I said, my current GP has "copies of any records requested" as part of his $75/year plan.
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(no subject)
Date: 2012-09-17 05:20 am (UTC)I don't request copies unless they're demanded by an insurer, though. Not worth the $$ to me.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-09-17 10:11 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-09-17 05:25 pm (UTC)For the most part, having limited access to them doesn't bother me - I think I know the things I need to know about my health.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-09-17 05:40 pm (UTC)But my history is more of "what's done is done" like a little wrist fracture, some abnormal screens that were followed by normal diagnostics.
The only thing that might be interesting for the future is my bone density scan, but again, management will depend only on a future scan.
It's expensive enough to get copies made that it's not worth it.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-09-18 02:54 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-09-21 02:11 pm (UTC)Personally, I just keep track of things on my own. But it's less important to cross every T since I don't have to apply for health insurance.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-09-23 08:28 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-09-24 02:41 am (UTC)Like I said, my current GP has "copies of any records requested" as part of his $75/year plan.