How long are medical records held for if you no longer see the dr.?

Question

How long are medical records held for if you no longer see the dr.?

Answer 1

forever... you can always tell them to fax the records to your new dr....if you have a new dr.

Answer 2

They are always available. Some docs put them on microfilm after some years but the records are always there unless sum1 walks off with them...  

Answer 3

Medical records retention schedules vary state to state and accrediting body. Most are seven to ten years. Medicaid requires physicians to retain records for seven years after the last date of service. Indian Health has a different retention schedule as does the Military. Records are not kept forever, please don't believe that. It would be too costly for most private practice physicians to retain them any longer than is required by law.

Answer 4

I had knee surgery 3 years ago

I stopped seeing him before he can discharge me from Physical therapy

now i wanna join the military and they need all them med docs

All my doctors dating back to the chicken pocks had my records

So iam going to guess if there stll open that they still got them

Answer 5

Some docs keep them forever, some dump them after a five to seven years.  I work in a field where I have to review medical records and it varies greatly from office to office.  give that doc a call and ask the receptionist what his/her policy is for keeping records.

Answer 6

In the UK they get passed onto your next doctor as soon as you inform your surgery that you are changing doctors - a matter of days I believe.....