how to go about accessing records of my past immunizations?

[cat1235]

I am just curious how to go about it -

I need an MD or NP to sign and date when I got certain immunizations and I also must get titers for these. I went by my family practice today thinking it's be a simple task to ask for a copy of my immunizations .... Apparently a nurse had to pull the file and it took a bit and th office lady couldn't do it.... Anyways, the sheet they have me only had my immunizations from when I was a child. The nurse instructed me that I needed the DTAP and the hep b series and titers for several immunizations. Upon returning to my ca I realized that I did already get my hep b and DTAP. They have it somewhere in my file, just not on the sheet they initially gave me. I need proof of the hep b and DTAP by tomorrow afternoon....

My question is should I call first so they'll have my file pulled when I get there? And is it ok to ask for that on the day of? They just seemed stressed that they had to pull something from my file in the first place so I didn't know if it was ok to just walk in and request that info on the spot.... Maybe they were just being difficult.

I have a right to my records and all I'm asking for is for them to go bacon my file and find the dates I received the hep b series aND DTAP.... I even know general dates to help direct them in narrowing their search for my specific record requests.

[cat1235]

Excuse some of my typos.... Autocorrect from my phone ...

[Fiona59]

Pulling old records isn't as straightforward as you think. Often charts have been thinned and the material you are looking for is in storage.

My province is automating all health records, so in theory our charts should be to date and easy to obtain. I know that my sons had to go to a public health unit to get their immunization records because they hadn't been uploaded yet.

So yes, you can't really expect them to have this info at their fingertips.

[sbostonRN]

Give them a heads up. I know at many hospitals, you have access to the records but they have a week to give it to you. Sometimes the records are in storage. Luckily, once you have the records, you can keep them in your own files for future use. I had to compile all my records for nursing school, and I've since used all the same records for jobs.

[cancermom]

My physician's office has a policy that they have 72 hours to provide any information requested. The same with any forms you may need filled out (sports physicals, camp physicals etc.) It does take time to get the complete information and my experience has been that I can never find it when someone is in the office and obviously in a hurry.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Now you know that this is something you will be asked for often in your working life. Be prepared. Assemble it in advance and keep a copy in your computer (scanned to PDF) so you can update and print out whenever anyone asks you.

And yes, it is a courtesy to ask a week or more in advance so nobody has to feel pressured to get it for tomorrow (you) or feel aggravated because someone is whining at them in a panic now (the office).

[kidfloat]

As someone that works in a pediatric office we appreciate if parents acknowledge that pulling a list of immunizations or filling out forms can take a few days. Of course there are those that think, along with 50 other people, that it only takes 5 minutes (5x 50 adds up). Do you want to be the person in the exam room waiting for all those five minutes. Are you sure you had all the immunizations at hte family practice? Sometimes immunizations are done at other facilities and we never get the records. When you do compile a list, keep your own personel copy and update as needed.