How to Receive Tripler Medical Records Online

The major federal law, HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) passed in the American federal judicial system in 1996 guarantees the standards of privacy and access to health care information to patients. In order to protect the safety of patients under HIPAA and prevent unwanted medical disclosures, to allow for patients to correct health-care miscommunications, and for patients switching doctors, this law also entitles patients a right to request a copy of their medical records. In this guide, DoNotPay delves into how to request Tripler Medical Records in accordance with HIPAA and obtain these files to take advantage of one's own mental health.

When it comes to acquiring your Tripler medical records through DoNotPay's Medical Records Series, DoNotPay knows that requesting control of one's medical records is part of creating an accurate record of your medical treatment. DoNotPay provides medical record release forms, information about documentation (including why it must be requested formally and how long they're kept), how to get medical records, and data regarding electronic documents. Lastly, DoNotPay has medical records for other places besides Tripler, including Kaiser, Mercy, Baptist, and Cleveland Clinic.

What Documents Are Excluded From a Medical Record Request?

While it's always a wise idea to request your medical records, there are some cases where it isn't always possible to obtain all your records under the law. While HIPAA does indicate that medical records must be furnished to a patient, they are not always available for various reasons. Ultimately, those that may not be released have been deemed restricted and not applicable to various requests. Over the years, these exemptions have been created with the patient's rights in mind.

Here's what types of documents are restricted:

• To request health documents that do not belong to you requires Power of Attorney (POA). If you do not have POA over someone else's records or someone does not have them over your records, then the records are not released. This prevents people from making unauthorized requests to obtain your private documents.
• Patients can sign disclosures with specific clinics, hospitals, and entities to forbid them from releasing certain documents pertinent to their privacy policy at that particular clinic.
• When signing a privacy policy at a medical clinic, it's possible to select to have particularly sensitive documents like those pertaining to one's sexual health (STIs), mental health, etc. covered from sharing.
• If you have selected to withhold these in your own files, then you still have access to these documents. However, agencies are not allowed to share your data amongst themselves in these categories.
• This means that if a doctor, for instance, were to request protected data from another doctor without your permission and sign off on a release, then the other doctor may opt against releasing those documents.
• Documents in one's medical records may be requested in court cases and ruled as admissible or inadmissible by the presiding judge. For instance, in high-profile cases, judges have opted against releasing medical records into the public record.
• In the cases of minors in your care or for people that you work for as a caregiver, some exemptions may apply. Minors who go to facilities like Planned Parenthood aren't required to share their information with parents. Working as someone's caregiver may not give you access to all their records without POA. When it comes to the privacy of others, some entities are not required to share this data.

How to Request Tripler Army Medical Center Medical Records

In order to get a copy of Tripler medical records, it is possible to put in a request directly with the facility and gain access to your documents. As an army facility, Tripler follows different protocols than civilian hospitals and providers. The procedure for requesting medical records is different and has some caveats in comparison to the policies of civilian health care facilities. When requesting Tripler Army Medical Center medical records, individuals have to follow military procedures.

Get Tripler Medical Records From the Online Portal

When dealing with United States military records, the medical records are mostly kept on the TRICARE Online portal. While the United States army began using the MHS GENESIS Patient Portal in September 2021, it still uses the TRICARE Online portal for records. If the records request is for records prior to September 2021, then the medical records are on the TRICARE Online portal.

Records between September 2021 and the present are viewable on the MHS GENESIS, but records requests should be made through the TRICARE portal. The DHA Hawaii Market Central Appointment Service can answer questions at (888) 683-2778 if it's about this time period of records. The Release of Information Section handles records requests offline.

How to request army medical records:

1. Access your account through TRICARE Online website.
2. Follow the instructions on how to request records.
3. All medical records are able to be viewed online, but there is a procedure to request copies of them.
4. Some records may require more than simply printing off documents from the portal.
5. In this case, you may request professional copies.
6. Questions may arise as to which portal to use or how to find the documents.
7. In this case, message support on the portal or call the DHA office.

Get Tripler Medical Records by Email, Fax, or Mail

If the online portal is too confusing, then it's still possible to get records through email, fax, mail, and in-person visits. Remember to call the Release of Information Section at (808) 433-4916 if you have questions.

Here is how to request your records by contacting Tripler:

1. Use this form, DD 2870, to officially request information for yourself or dependents.
2. Fill out the form and identify who you are seeking information about.
3. Substance Abuse treatment centers also require the completion of a form here.
4. Submit these Authorizations and get the documents you need.
5. Copies of medical records through the portal are free.
6. Otherwise, include a check to the Treasury/ Tripler Army Medical Center.
7. Wait for your records and provide where they should be sent.

Here is where to send completed record requests:

The Release of Information Section should be able to help you find the forms you need to authorize a request for records, what to include, and answer other questions about medical records. You can also turn in complete requests to them.

What Does Tripler Charge for Military Records?

Yes, even the army will charge for copies of medical records. They are also going to require that you provide identification and have more strict identification requirements for those investigating military personnel for reasons, etc. While copies are free online, they will charge for what's considered a research request and this comes with a fee of $8.33. The amount charged per page for a paper request is $0.15.

When requests take up more than 25 pages, the person researching the records will put them on a CD for you. The CD costs you $8.50 and saves paper. If you are getting a CD, you will not be charged the amount of a paper request per digital page. However, you must pay for the CD they send you.

What if Tripler Didn’t Keep My Records?

Tripler medical records do not cover everything in a cadet, officer's, or Veteran's medical history. Tripler itself will only retain medical records that date back to the past two years. The Tripler Army Medical Hospital also only covers the medical history of the individual while they are stationed there and not if they are on active duty. If you want to find records from when an individual is on duty, then this information is contained in The Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF). The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) is home to OMPF data.

Besides the OMPF, Tripler sends old records to the National Personnel Records Center (NRPC), and this houses archival records. The NRPC is an archival center, but also may have records Tripler sent them. They can be called at (314) 801-0800.

Who Else May Have Tripler Military Medical Records?

Tripler Medical Hospital services current military personnel, their families, beneficiaries, and Veterans in Hawaii. Tripler has its own system for proving medical records to those it helps, but other parts of the military may have more files. While Tripler serves nonmilitary individuals, military family members, etc., the majority of those it services are army personnel. Tripler is a VAMC (VA Medical Center) and it is easier to contact them for military medical records than the VA.

If you are looking for a complete military medical history for yourself or someone else, contact the Veteran Affairs Medical Center before trying the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA is home to millions of records documenting the histories of servicemen and women. Thus, if you have been treated at a VA Medical Center (VAMC), phone the closest VAMC to request records, and ask Tripler how to get records. If Tripler does not have or will not release your records, there are other options. If contacting Tripler doesn't work, then the Department of Veteran Affairs could have more information and can always be sent a request for medical records under The Freedom of Information Act.

The Department of Veterans Affairs can be contacted here:

Department of Veterans Affairs

ATTN: Release of Information Claims Intake Center

P.O. Box 4444

Janesville, WI, 53547

How to Order Tripler Medical Records Using DoNotPay

Finding military records can be particularly difficult when the military is frequently changing where it keeps its data and records. While the security of Veterans' records may be a question of national security, it's an annoyance to ordinary Veterans or those currently in service who need their medical records.

While the VAMC has straightforward policies for obtaining records, the portals make these requests confusing, and documents are not kept for very long. When it comes to retrieving military records, let DoNotPay get involved and help as a way of thanking Veterans and their families for their service.

How Veterans can find medical records with DoNotPay:

1. Go to DoNotPay's website and find the medical records section.

2. Type in the name of the provider you saw, who treated you, or where it occurred.

3. Answer these questions and provide an address where we can send the file. That's all.

What Else Can DoNotPay Do?

These are a few more of the products offered and there are plenty more where they come from.

• Want to find out about requesting sick leave?
• File a complaint anywhere for any reason.
• Get a copy of your birth certificate.
• File a small claims court claim.
• Get the help with bills that your family needs.
• Learn about the Advanced Healthcare directive.