Comments | britishcolumbia: Medical records question

rainbow_goddess in britishcolumbia

Medical records question

May 05, 2009 13:15

This might be a long shot, but does anyone know what happens to a person's medical records when they move out of a particular city, or how long they might be kept for? I'd like to get my records from when I was a kid growing up in Powell River ( Read more... )

Comments 7

ltmurnau May 5 2009, 20:30:46 UTC

I would also like to know the answer to this question. I was badly hurt in a car accident ten years ago and the medical records are a pile several inches thick. My then doctor retired - I think he's since died - and the new one I found (months and months later) told me frankly he had no interest in my records taking up his shelf space. I can spare the shelf space so wouldn't mind keeping them myself.

I called the BC Medical Association to ask about records retention and retrieval but they had no idea what I was talking about.

rainbow_goddess May 5 2009, 20:42:01 UTC

Well, if no one here knows the answer to this question, I'll ask my endocrinologist if he knows the answer. He had to have seen my medical history when he accepted me as a patient, so he might have an idea. I'm seeing him soon, and if he has an answer, I'll post it here as a reply to your comment.

ltmurnau May 5 2009, 21:22:21 UTC

Thank you.
I see from the College of Physicians and Surgeons website that a doctor has to retain records for seven years from the time of the last visit, so they are still out there somewhere - he retired rather abruptly and did not pass his practice on to anyone else, though.

does this help? zaftigvegan May 5 2009, 20:46:02 UTC

http://www.cba.org/BC/public_media/health/421.aspx

Re: does this help? rainbow_goddess May 5 2009, 20:54:51 UTC

Somewhat, but it doesn't tell me how long the records are kept. I haven't been in Powell River hospital for more than 20 years, so I have no idea if they would still have the records.

Re: does this help? zaftigvegan May 5 2009, 20:56:14 UTC

they are legally bound to retain your medical records. if they don't have them, you can get them in a lot of trouble.

also, msp retains a lifelong record of all your visits to doctors and hospitals - they may be able to help.

wai_79 May 5 2009, 23:52:54 UTC

If medical doctors follow the same rules that auxillary health practitioners are required to follow then they are only obligated to keep patient records for 7 years from the last date the patient visited. If the patient was a minor, then they are obligated to keep records for 7 years after the date the child would've turned 18. Hope this helps.