Requesting Your Medical Records

HIPAA right of access (45 CFR 164.524)

Response deadline

"Your doctor normally has up to 30 days to provide you a copy of your information", though it's often provided sooner, especially via a patient web portal.

Fees

You can't be denied access for not paying your medical bill. Your doctor can charge you a reasonable fee for a copy of your health information; the fee may not be a per-page fee if your information is stored electronically.

Complaint route

If you believe your HIPAA access rights were violated, you can file a complaint with the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

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UK GDPR / Data Protection Act 2018 — right of access (subject access request, SAR)

Response deadline

"Organisations usually have one month to respond to a SAR." Anyone can make a SAR without needing a solicitor or lawyer.

NHS route

For NHS medical records specifically, a SAR can be made directly to the relevant NHS organisation/GP practice holding the records, following the same SAR process and 1-month deadline described above.

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