Do you have the right to look at your child's chart?

Altra, BSN, RN · Aug 17, 2007

Every provider should have a policy on how to review or obtain a copy of a patient's medical record. Simply call the office and find out. I would not expect to be able to do so during the course of a normal office visit unless this had been agreed to in advance.

BTW - if you have ongoing questions about decisions made or your son's care, IMO these are better addressed by frank discussion with the provider, rather than reading a medical record using language and conventions with which you may not be familiar and possibly drawing incorrect conclusions.

vashtee, RN · Aug 17, 2007

Charting is usually pretty objective, in my experience. Even if the health care provider thinks you are being silly for going against medical advice, they generally aren't going to say so in the charts.

TazziRN, RN · Aug 17, 2007

As far as the issue that you've made your decision on, you can tell the staff, "We have made our decision and I would appreciate it if you didn't ask me everytime we come in. You may not agree with it, but it is OUR decision to make, not yours."

Of course, this will only work if the question is not something that every parent gets asked on every visit anyway. If it is, then you can call them on the attitude.

"I understand that the decision we made is not the same that most parents make (I'm assuming you're choosing the unconventional route), but it is OUR decision to make for our child, not yours. I would appreciate it if you would honor that decision without making me feel like I'm a bad parent for having made it. If our decision is wrong, then this is not an issue that we would have had a choice on in the first place."

CIRQL8 · Aug 17, 2007

Short answer, "yes"

Truth - you may have one or more forms to fill out. You may be allowed to see the original if you keep it in the office, you may be given a copy (possibly with a charge to you) to take with you. Or you may have the original transferred to another provider, in which case the office may keep copies for legal purposes (or keep the original and send the copy). Again, this may result in a charge to you.

Dolce, RN · Aug 17, 2007

Some facilities require staff to go over the chart with you. This is nice because sometimes the medical language needs explanation. As far as making decisions for your child goes I would be professional and firm about your stance. You love and care for your child much more than your physicians office does and obviously you want to do the right thing. Just because you have made health care decisions that are not "conventional" does not mean they have the right to harass you about them at every visit. I would threaten to change physicians if their unprofessional behavior continues.

MzMouse · Aug 17, 2007

Yes, patients have the right to see their chart or their children's chart. In our clinic when a patient makes the request it is handled through the Release of Information dept. I know someone with medical knowledge, I imagine probably a person in management within the clinic, is present at the time. No personal experience with this, so not sure on specifics.