How to Request Palomar Hospital Medical Records

When the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was passed into federal law in 1996, patients in the United States healthcare system received more rights to protect their privacy and request their medical records.

Whether you need your Palomar Hospital medical records in order to see a new doctor or specialist, to care for a minor, or request them as a caregiver, thanks to HIPAA, hospitals are required to furnish these documents. DoNotPay is here to help patients exercise their right to access their Palomar Hospital medical records as well as all the other HIPAA provisions.

Besides getting medical records from Palomar Hospital, DoNotPay's Medical Records Request Product has some other amazing benefits for those looking to navigate through paper and electronic health records in order to get the best care possible.

This product has guides for concerns that may arise, such as how long medical records are kept, how to request them, what form is needed for a release, and how do you actually get your own medical records? While this series is about Palomar Hospital, DoNotPay also offers guides to getting records from Baptist, Cleveland Clinic, Kaiser, and Mercy.

When are Medical Records Withheld from Release?

There are some circumstances that result in cases where a request for medical records is turned down. When you request a copy of your medical records, you will generally get all of them. However, there are cases where records are not released if they are covered by privacy restrictions or not accessible to secondary parties.

Here's when medical records may be turned down:

• If a person is requesting records for someone they do not have Power of Attorney over.
• If you do not have POA as a caregiver or as a family member requesting medical records to help a loved one, then your request for health records may be denied since it doesn't meet the credentials required for it to not be a violation of the other person's privacy.
• HIPAA includes the right to request patients' records, but it also includes a lot of provisions pertaining to privacy practices. Due to the privacy laws in HIPAA and other state laws, it's not possible to get anyone's medical records without the right to do so.
• When people are treated for STIs, mental health conditions, or undergo Substance Abuse Treatment, these documents are also protected under privacy laws since the information in these types of records was used in a discriminatory way in the past.
• If you are requesting your own medical records, you may obtain these files. However, if someone else is requesting these, then you have to sign off on them and authorize sharing these documents.
• Minors' parents typically have access to their children's health records. In some cases, minors have won the right to be seen at places like Planned Parenthood without a copy of their medical documents being disclosed or permission to go to the appointment being required.
• Sometimes, medical records involved in court cases will not be released.

How to Acquire Medical Records from Palomar Hospital Yourself

If none of the above cases apply to you, then it's extremely likely that you will receive any or all medical documents you request. As long as these documents belong to you, you have POA, or are a parent, then it becomes a matter of how to request the medical records. In order to get Palomar Hospital medical records, there are three main options for requesting medical records and authorizing their release to you.

In general, Palomar medical records release requests can be made in person, in writing, online, or by contacting the office on the phone.

If you are requesting medical records for someone else, then you need to provide a copy of POA, a Death Certificate (for deceased patients), and other credentials to obtain someone else's health records along with your request.

Here is the typical process for Palomar records request and an updated process post-Coronavirus:

1. Plan a visit to the Palomar Health Medical Records Department in Escondido.
2. Normally, this involves making an appointment with this office.
3. Before going, call them at (760) 480-7901 and check their hours.
4. Go to 2185 Citracado Parkway, Escondido, CA, 92029.
5. At this time, this office will be turning away visitors due to Coronavirus concerns.
6. The Palomar Health Medical Records Department will tell visitors to request documents online.
7. Due to this, follow the online protocol so as not to waste a trip.

Many offices will not begin the request prior to payment or the completion of authorization forms, but it's possible to get the request started.

• California state law will require you to verify your identity or provide your contact information.
• State law prohibits the typical details in a written request (name, date of birth, address, etc.) from being used in a discriminatory fashion.
• Write a letter to Palomar Hospital and send it to the Palomar Health Information Services Department.
• Include your name, DOB, address, email, and phone number in the request.
• Specify which time periods you need records from and for which procedures.
• Written requests can be used if the release of the original record is denied and providers refuse to furnish your records.
• In this scenario, California law allows redress for those denied their records and can fine those in the health field as unprofessional if legitimate records release requests are denied.

Here's how to request medical records electronically:

1. You will need to contact Arch Health in order to get these documents.
2. The forms for the Release of Information Requests can even be completed and submitted online.
3. In order to do this, make sure your computer can run Adobe.
4. Fill out the documents, save them, and email them to medicalrecords@palomarhealthmedicalgroup.org.
5. If your computer does have an updated version of Adobe, it's still possible to print them out, mail, or fax (858-673-5187) them to the office.
6. Either way, the forms for requesting this information are available here.
7. Allow their staff ten working days to complete the documentation process.

Does Palomar Hospital Charge for Medical Records?

Yes, Palomar charges for a copy of their medical records, but California law is more generous than most other states. For example, documents for someone requesting a new doctor and needing medical records are often provided from physician to physician with no cost to the patient. Additionally, the latest visit reports can be given to a patient without charge, even when it includes x-rays. In all other cases, the fee is 25 cents per page.

Save Time and Get Palomar Hospital Medical Records With DoNotPay

California is still coping with the impact of lockdown and has extensive state laws that will also make requesting medical records more difficult for ordinary people. The positive of this is that those needing California records may save money when requesting their records since the state has a less expensive fee for copying than other states. On the other hand, requesting records when the department has shut down for Coronavirus makes it more difficult to get those documents from Palomar Hospital quickly. Luckily, DoNotPay can help interface with this hospital and promptly provide medical records.

Here's how to get medical records using DoNotPay:

1. Access the "medical records" part of DoNotPay's website.

2. Find your provider on the website and begin the request.

3. Fill out the prompts about the provider, enter where you want the records sent, and let DoNotPay do the rest!

Other Services Offered by DoNotPay

We also request electronic health records from other hospitals, such as:

1. Kaiser
2. Mercy
3. Baptist
4. Cleveland Clinic

Don't waste time with lengthy formalities. Reach out to us today!