ByHow to Request Your Child's CHOC Medical Records
Children's Health of Orange County or CHOC represents a pediatric healthcare system specializing in treating injuries and illness, physical and mental health, and research. The network consists of two hospitals and several clinics.
Retrieving medical records from one of the facilities comes with some complications. But to streamline the process of retrieving documents from CHOC takes away most of the frustration.
HIPAA Gives You the Right to Access Your CHOC Medical Records:
HIPAA legislation or The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act passed as federal law in 1996. The Privacy Rule within that legislation gives individuals the right to obtain medical information from healthcare providers. The patient may ask for access to the protected health information or PHI to inspect it, get a copy, or both.
The patient maintains the right to obtain both manual and electronic and hard copy records regardless of the Date of the information.
What information is included in the Right of Access or the 'Designated Record Set?
Under 45 CFR 164.05, the Designated Record Set consists of a group of records covered by an entity. The Designated Record Set consists of the following:
- Medical records
- Billing records
- Enrollment records, payments, claim adjustments or any medical management record system maintained by or for a health plan.
- Miscellaneous records are used to make a decision about individuals. The person requesting the information does not need to be the named individual in question.
What if You Need Electronic Copies of Your Medical Records?
In today's fast-paced digital world, we use our computers and Smartphones to obtain information almost instantly. With HIPAA legislation in place, consumers now retrieve medical information as easily as they receive banking and credit card information.
Many healthcare facilities such as doctor's offices, clinics, and hospitals provide a secure way to view medical information online. It usually involves the patient setting up a safe portal with a username and password. With the secure patient portal, the individual may view medical records, keep track of their medications and even schedule future appointments.
If you intend to retrieve your health records online, you must prepare to get your electronic medical records. To set up your account or Patient Portal, make sure to prepare the following information:
| Full name | ID or Member Number associated with a hospital | Address, email, phone number, | A list of the records or information requested |
| Social Security Number | Date of birth including the year | Records requested | Method of delivery requested, such as email, fax, or physical documents mailed, or access to Patient Portal |
If your medical network does not offer these types of patient portals or PHR services, try contacting a consumer's advocate to help you obtain information or electronic services.
OpenNotes:
Open Notes represents a national movement to improve communications among patients, designated family members, and healthcare professionals. In addition to better communications, it also encourages patients to become more involved in their healthcare.
DoNotPay also offers a product that will guide you through the process of retrieving electronic health records.
What Types of Medical Records are Not Obtainable?
Individuals do not possess the right to obtain or access PHI that does not fall under the Designated Record Set. The types of information not accessible fall into three main categories:
- Information used for business decisions and performance evaluations of the hospital or healthcare facility- This type of information doesn't pertain to the patient's health. Still, it involves customer service and the patient experience.
- Personal psychotherapy notes taken by the mental health care provider during a counseling session concerning a patient's medical record
- Information intended for criminal or civil court proceedings
How to Obtain CHOC Medical Records on Your Own:
offers several ways to obtain medical records for parents and guardians.
- You may sign up for the CHOC online link if your child falls between the ages of 0 and 11. Once a minor reaches 18, they may retrieve electronic information. For minors between 12 and 17, the child or parent may not recover information through the CHOC Link.
- You may also visit the website and complete a form with your request for medical records.
- You may email the form to: requestrecords@choc.org
- You may also send your form by mail to: CHOC -HIM Department 1201 West La Veta. Orange CA 92868
- You may call and speak with a representative at 714 509 4368
- You may print the form and then fax it to 714 509 8388
Once received, it takes between seven and ten working days to receive the requested records.
What Should I Expect to Pay for CHOC Medical Records?
If the parent wants the fee sent to their home or office, the cost comes to 25 cents per page if obtained electronically. If the records came from film or fiche, the charge per page rises to 50 cents per page.
No charge occurs if you need to send records to another doctor or medical facility.
There's no cost involved if you use the CHOC Link to retrieve records.
Why Not Let Donotpay Help You Obtain Choc Medical Records:
All the choices and rules involved in obtaining your child's CHOC records may cause confusion. Add the waiting time once you fill out the form or the hold time waiting for a representative, and you may find yourself in a frustrating situation.
How to request medical records using DoNotPay:
DoNotPay has seen these requests before and knows how to write your health care provider a simple, clear, and effective letter that will get your legally-guaranteed health records for you in no time.
- Look up medical records on DoNotPay’s website.
- Enter the name of the health care provider you’d like to receive medical records from.
- Answer a few questions about your provider and where you’d like to send the records.
Let DoNotPay Help With All Your Medical Records Needs:
In addition to assisting you with obtaining CHOC medical records, DoNotPay will help you with all your needs regarding retrieving medical information. Check out these informational links:
- Learn about obtaining medical records
- How to recover your electronic health records
- How to sign a medical release form electronically
- Obtaining Kaiser medical records
- Obtaining Cleveland Clinic medical records
- Obtaining Mercy medical records
- How to get a medical release form
- How to retrieve your personal medical records
- Learn about obtaining Baptist medical records
- Learn how long are medical records kept
- How to request medical records
Wondering How Else DoNotPay Could Make Your Life Easier?
Retrieving medical records represents just one function of DoNotPay. As the world's first robotic lawyer, DoNotPay uses its legal and business expertise to help you with everyday problems and serious legal issues. Check out some examples below:
- Get help with paying your bills
- Request an advance health directive
- Obtain a birth certificate
- Request sick leave
We invite you to visit us here for more information on how DoNotPay will save you time and money.