QUESTION: Maybe you will be able to help with this problem. I have been trying for a couple of years now to get my son’s medical records. When one goes to college out of state, the college requires absolute proof of immunization. We have been going ’round and ’round with Dr. Ellis’ old practice to retrieve our records. We realize my son is an adult, but we still need his records. He has had to undergo another series of shots due to our problem getting the doctor’s office to come up with our records.
All four of my children were seen by Dr. Ellis and it would be very helpful to have the records with their infant surgeries and other information for them. Is there a possibility that maybe you, Sir PROBE, could probe our records free?
I am even willing to help in the search. Truly these records are only of aid to my children and their future, so why is this office so determined to ignore multiple signed requests for this information. — Concerned Mom, El Centro.
We spoke to you for a few minutes before calling what used to be Dr. Ellis’ practice — ABC Pediatrics.
You told us that you, your son and your husband have visited the office at least three times in the last two years.
You told us that right around two years ago, when you first made your records request, that someone with ABC Pediatrics told you Ellis’ old records were kept in another location, that you’d have to pay $60, fill out some paperwork and wait six weeks for the records.
You did all of this, and upon your return six weeks later, you got nothing.
You also told us because your son went away to college in California, and last year in Massachusetts, that he had to make special trips seeking his records and still nothing.
Because of the inaction on the part of ABC, your son had to fork over $200 to be re-immunized so he could attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
We’d be upset if we got that kind of runaround, too.
We called ABC on Monday and were told the office manager would be out until today and that Dr. Negrete, one of three partners in the practice we would need to talk to, would not be in until Wednesday.
We asked whoever answered the phone if they could contact either Negrete or the office manager by cell phone to tell them we needed to help a reader. That didn’t work.
We’ll call today and Wednesday to get you an answer. Hopefully we’ll be able to help.
" Susflores: she did go to the school district, but the records there didn't provide the detailed info needed for the college in Massachusetts.
Richard Brown "
miss y wrote on Feb 19, 2008 10:52 PM:
" Shame on the staff for not being more helpfull to the patient. Doctors need to be aware of their staff's attitude, they should consider hiring personnel with people skills who are more empathetic towards others.
"
miss y wrote on Feb 19, 2008 10:47 PM:
" Has it been resolved? My understanding is, tomorrow we will hear more about what happened and if the lady will ever get her medical records.
But for future reference, when someone is no longer "qualified" to see a pediatrician, always ask for your medical records to be released or transfered to your new general/family physician. Dr. Ellis should've let this patient know where her records would be sent before he closed his practice or retired.
"
debanded wrote on Feb 19, 2008 10:32 PM:
" Sorry to disagree with you thegarz...my husband had the same problem getting records from a san diego physcians office and because of the delay we had to go to hospital emergency for a prescription for his high blood pressure. You can only imagine how expensive that was. There should be some kind of law that requires a release of records within a 24 hour period. I know many people experience this. "
thegarz wrote on Feb 19, 2008 9:58 PM:
" No one here has stated the obvious: this is typical Imperial Valley service (or lack of it). I cannot imagine getting the runaround like this anywhere else...jeez! This has happened to me before in El Centro. I am glad it was resolved, but the problem remains. Anyone agree? "
susflores wrote on Feb 19, 2008 7:46 PM:
" Why didn't this mother go to the school district? She could've gotten the records from them instead of getting all the shots again.
Mr. Montenegro, you have to admit the response the probe writer wrote was a more detailed summary of what happened to this person the last few lines is basically the answer, which is:
“We’ll call today and Wednesday to get you an answer. Hopefully we’ll be able to help”.
"
debigray wrote on Feb 19, 2008 7:26 PM:
" Agree with keeping records. I had the immunization records until they were needed for a Jazz Band trip to Canada at which point I never received the Birth Cert or Shot records back. Could be in the band room tucked away. At any rate all has been taken care of and I now have my 3 younger childrens records.
If you are curious as to the records I do keep maybe my own personal report card from Kindergarten would impress you. Have a great day! "
jorgesuervo wrote on Feb 19, 2008 2:30 PM:
" I think the most important lesson from this probe issue is to recognize that keeping your own copy of medical records is important. Though you should be able to retrieve a copy from your physician's office, having your own is wise and makes life easier should you need one. "
limasa wrote on Feb 19, 2008 1:06 PM:
" Is it true the Brawley Wal Mart is available to lease? What is the delay in getting the roads complete? I don't blame Wal Mart for being angry. "
rmontenegro wrote on Feb 19, 2008 11:12 AM:
" One correction from the last post. The reader said the $60 was due upon receipt of the records. Since no records were received, not payment was made.
Richard Brown "
rmontenegro wrote on Feb 19, 2008 10:52 AM:
" The question has already been answered. The reader will be getting her records ASAP as well as her $60 back. We will follow this up in PROBE on Wednesday. It's important to remember, that even past PROBE writers would get the question out there first without the full answer as a means to kickstarting the process. That was the case this time, and it seems to have worked.
Richard Brown, assistant editor "
susflores wrote on Feb 19, 2008 10:40 AM:
" You basically repeated the question in your answer, this shouldn't have been printed until you got the full answer on Wednesday.
"
bobejo wrote on Feb 19, 2008 8:12 AM:
" tell them you're going to sue him/them they'll probably fork out the records quick "
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rmontenegro wrote on Feb 20, 2008 11:02 AM:
Richard Brown "