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Doctor - New patient question.....
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 2009-09-15 4:22 PM |
Master  1914    Finally north of the Mason-Dixon Line |  Subject: Doctor - New patient question.....Any docs out there that can help me understand this please chime in. We have just moved to a new town/state and need to find the kids a pediatrician. I have their shot records! I have called all offices within a 10 mile radius and they are all closed. I'd like to stay close to home for a doc as in the winter I don't want to be out in the snow and ice much if kids are sick. The sole practice still open to new patients requires the office manager review my insurance (they do accept my insurance) BUT they won't accept us until they have the complete medical file of the kids - I only have the shot records. The reason I don't have the records is the old practice in TX doesn't give records out to the parents w/o accessing a $20 fee per record (that's $60 - which I need to save) - they transfer from 1 practice to another. BUT I can't get into this new practice unless I have the records.... Obviously I need to find a practice before the kids get sick. I have never heard of a practice not accepting new patients unless complete file is included. A shot record always surficed until they requested record from old practice.... What's a Mom to do???? Edited by houston-tri-mama 2009-09-15 4:24 PM |
| 2009-09-16 8:45 AM in reply to: #2408092 |
Pro 5011 Twin Cities | Subject: RE: Doctor - New patient question..... houston-tri-mama - 2009-09-15 4:22 PM The reason I don't have the records is the old practice in TX doesn't give records out to the parents w/o accessing a $20 fee per record (that's $60 - which I need to save) - they transfer from 1 practice to another. BUT I can't get into this new practice unless I have the records.... I'm confused--why can't you just transfer the records? Or do you have to pay to transfer them? You shouldn't--I've never heard of a practice charging to send records to another practice, and I switch doctors a LOT. You may have to fax a release form to your old doc, and maybe call the new doc and have them make a request as well...but it shoudln't be much more than that. YOU personally don't need to touch the records at all. |
| 2009-09-16 9:28 AM in reply to: #2408092 |
Pro 4228  Broomfield, Colorado | Subject: RE: Doctor - New patient question..... Usually, if a patient requests their own records (or their childrens' records), there is a fee. But if the new practice sends a direct request to the old practice, there is no fee. Not sure they would do that for you as this is an odd circumstance...but it can't hurt to ask. Interesting, I've never heard of anyone "accepting" patients in this manner! |
| 2009-09-16 10:10 AM in reply to: #2408092 |
Master 1914 Finally north of the Mason-Dixon Line | Subject: RE: Doctor - New patient question..... There is NO fee if the old doctor sends directly to NEW doctor.... but I can't get a NEW doctor w/o the complete medical file. I'm going in person today (just happen's my son's speech therapist works in this building) and will talk directly to the office manager. It'll also help (hopefully) that the speech therapist is the wife of a doctor in this practice..... Just crazy that I can't get them into a practice w/o having medical file in hand - and they don't want to go thru the normal practice of requesting file from old doctor. Which I agree is normal standard procedure.... but I guess they do things differently in Scranton. Edited by houston-tri-mama 2009-09-16 10:13 AM |
| 2009-09-16 10:18 AM in reply to: #2408092 |
Veteran 667 | Subject: RE: Doctor - New patient question..... They shouldn't charge you for records for your personal use. Here's the relevant Texas state statute. If you were asking your lawyer to obtain these records for use in a lawsuit, then they're allowed by law to charge you up to 30 dollars for the first 10 pages and so on. But this isn't for a law suit. You have a right to those records, and they shouldn't charge you for them. Ask them to fax the records to you to avoid having to squabbling over postage. Stick to your guns. Realize that the person your talking to probably doesn't know WHY or WHEN they're suppose to charge a fee for copying records. As far as they're concerned, the rule is universal and most people have just gone along with their demands.
Texas Health & Safety Code § 241.154
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| 2009-09-16 11:15 AM in reply to: #2408092 |
Master 2477 Oceanside, California | Subject: RE: Doctor - New patient question..... Yeah, many states have great online resources to inquire if this is a legal practice in the eye's of the state agency. If it is not, you can ask the previous office to send without fee. If not, it is often really easy to fill out an online complaint/compliance form. Start with your state website to see if it is the case in TX. |
| 2009-09-16 4:24 PM in reply to: #2408092 |
Master 1914 Finally north of the Mason-Dixon Line | Subject: RE: Doctor - New patient question..... Going in person to NEW doc office did the trick. I had shot record and insurance to hand over. They weren't thrilled to be the one doing the requesting of medical records - as if it was this huge inposition of them to fax the form.... the doctor will only see kids if they are sick until they have received complete medical records from old docs in TX. And since this is a practice to practice transfer office isn't charging. |
| 2009-09-16 8:50 PM in reply to: #2410322 |
Veteran 667 | Subject: RE: Doctor - New patient question..... I've always though it's funny how medicine - which really is a service oriented enterprise can have such horrible customer service. |
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