TRANSFERRING MEDICAL RECORDS:
The Health Information Management (HIM) Department is responsible for safeguarding your health information from loss, destruction, tampering and access by unauthorized users. All patients have the right to privacy of health information concerning their care and treatment. Our Health Information Management Department processes all types of requests for copies of patient’s health information.
CNY Family Care launched Medent an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system in 2010. Medent stores all patient health information electronically allowing immediate and simultaneous access to your health information by all our providers improving patient care.
Health Information Management Department:
Monday – Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm
Phone number for patient’s calling about records: 315-463-1600 option #4, then option #2
Request a Copy of Your Medical Records for Yourself
Please go to our Patient Forms page. Download the HIPAA FORM A (Medical Record Release form), fill it out, and submit it to us right through our website. If you are not in need of your entire medical record, we can send the requested information via encrypted email or secure message using the patient portal. There is no charge for this.
If you request a copy of your entire medical record for yourself, the requested records can be put on a USB drive (thumb drive) or CD. The records will be encrypted. You will receive the USB drive or CD in the mail, and a password letter to open the USB drive or CD will be mailed separately. It can take up to one additional week for you to receive the password letter in the mail once you receive the USB drive or CD. The cost for your records on a USB drive or CD is a flat fee of $6.50. Payment must be received before we will process your records request. Allow 1-2 weeks for processing once payment has been received. If you request a paper copy of your medical records, you will be charged $.75 per page.
Request a Copy of Your Medical Records be Sent FROM CNY Family Care TO Another Physician/ Practice/ Facility
Please go to our Patient Forms page. Download the HIPAA FORM A (Medical Record Release form), fill it out, and submit it to us right through our website. The requested records will be put on a USB Drive. The records will be encrypted. The USB drive will be mailed to the physician/ practice/ facility specified on the records release, and a password letter to open the USB drive will be mailed separately. It can take up to one additional week for the password letter to arrive in the mail once the USB drive or CD has been received. Allow 1-2 weeks for processing once we receive your written request. There is no charge for this. Please note – we will not fax all of your records to another physician due to the burden this place on our faxing capability as well as theirs.
Request Your Records FROM Another Physician/ Practice/ Facility TO CNY Family Care
Please go to our Patient Forms page. Download the HIPAA FORM B (Medical Record Release form), fill it out, and submit it to us right through our website. We will send the records release form to the other Physician/ Practice/ Facility to request that they send your records to CNY Family Care. Allow 1-2 weeks for us to fax over the records release form to the other physician/ practice/ facility once we receive it.
Discharged Patient Medical Records
When you are discharged from our practice, we will send a copy of your entire medical record to the physician you designate (most commonly your new primary care provider) as a courtesy for no charge. The requested records will be put on a USB Drive. The records will be encrypted. The USB drive will be mailed to the physician you designate on the records release, and a password letter to open the USB drive will be mailed separately. It can take up to one additional week for the password letter to arrive in the mail once the USB drive or CD has been received. This is a one-time courtesy free of charge. All subsequent requests from the patient for their entire medical record to be sent to another practice will be subject to our fees.
Medical Records FAQ
How can I obtain a copy of my medical records?
You may request your medical records by completing HIPAA FORM A located on our Patient Forms page. Fill it out and submit it to us right through our website. You may also complete this form in-person at our office. In lieu of this form, we will honor any written request for your records (you must clearly specify exactly what records you want and specify exactly where the records should be sent).
Who is authorized to sign a patient’s authorization for release?
- Yourself (not a spouse)
- A parent if the patient is under the age of 18 years of age
- Court appointed guardian (must provide legal documents)
- Health Care Proxy if patient is incapacitated and unable to sign (must have documentation)
- Executor/representative of estate for deceased patient with a copy of the short form (death certificate
- presented)
- A minor may sign their own authorization if they are:
- Emancipated o Pregnant
- Being treated for venereal disease, sexual assault, alcohol, or drug use/abuse
How to obtain records on a deceased patient?
When a patient has expired, the Health Care Proxy and the Power of Attorney are no longer valid. To ensure that CNY Family Care is protected, it is our policy and procedure to inquire if the patient died with or without a will. If the patient died with a Will, it must be “probated”, and a copy of the Executor’s appointment papers must be provided to us. If a patient died without a Will, then a copy of the letters of Administrator should be provided to us.
(What is Probate? When a Decedent (the person who died) had a Will, then the Will must be filed in Surrogate’s Court and admitted for Probate. If the Decedent died without a Will, then an Administration proceeding should be filed. Probate is the process of proving that the Will is valid.)
1. Once you have obtained a copy of the Executor’s appointment papers (or copy of the letter of Administration, please go to our Patient Forms page. Download the HIPAA FORM A (Medical Record Release form) and complete it.
2. Mail the medical records release form, a copy of the Executor’s appointment papers (or copy of the letter of Administration) with proof of identify (copy of NYS driver’s license most often) to CNY Family Care. Please sure to include directions on which format you want the records sent on (USB drive, CD, or paper).
3. Upon receipt of payment for the records, we will process your request. Please allow 1-2 weeks for processing
How will I receive my records?
CNY Family Care can send records on a USB drive (thumb drive), CD, via encrypted email, via secure message using the patient portal, or on paper. You must specify how you want to receive the records on the Hipaa form (Medical Record Release form).
Note: You can view, print, email, or send to another practice your office visit notes, lab results, and immunization records using our patient portal
Office Visit Notes – You can access many of your previous office visit note’s using the patient portal (Log into the Portal, Chart, Clinical Notes).
Lab Results – You can access your lab results using the patient portal once your provider reviews them. Your physician has up to 5 days to review your lab results. (Log into the Portal, Chart, Chart Summary, click the box for Test Results, click View).
Immunization Record – You can obtain your Immunization Record using the patient portal (Log into the Portal, Chart, Chart Summary, click the box for immunizations, click View).
Is there a fee associated with my medical records request?
Please be advised for any patient access requests for his/her own medical records, the following associated fees apply USB Drive = $6.50; CD = $6.50; paper format = $0.75 per page. If the request for records comes from an Attorney’s office, third party copy service/ records release service, or a life insurance company, the same fees apply
How long will it take to get copies of my medical records?
Once we receive your records request, we have up to 14 days to process the request. However, we are usually able to process the records release within one week. If paper copies are requested, processing can be between 1-2 weeks. If you have an URGENT medical records request, please call, and speak to the Health Information Management (HIM) Department directly.
Am I able to request my medical records in other ways?
Yes, if you need just your last doctor’s note, an imaging report, or test results, you may request those using a secure message on the patient portal or by contacting our Health Information Management (HIM) Department. Our medical records staff can send that information to you or to a specialist for your continuity of care and treatment.
Note: You can view, print, email, or send to another practice your office visit notes, lab results, and immunization records using our patient portal
Office Visit Notes – You can access many of your previous office visit note’s using the patient portal (Log into the Portal, Chart, Clinical Notes).
Lab Results – You can access your lab results using the patient portal once your provider reviews them. Your physician has up to 5 days to review your lab results. (Log into the Portal, Chart, Chart Summary, click the box for Test Results, click View).
Immunization Record – You can obtain your Immunization Record using the patient portal (Log into the Portal, Chart, Chart Summary, click the box for immunizations, click View).
How can I request an amendment to my medical records?
If you believe that the protected health information contained in your electronic medical record (“ePHI”) is in error or that it needs to be amended, you have the right to request a correction/amendment to it. The request form and any subsequent information pertaining to the request will become a part of your permanent electronic record. To request an amendment, please contact our Practice’s Privacy Officer Melissa Imhoff. Our Privacy Officer can be reached by telephone at 315-463-1600 or by mail at the following:
CNY Family Care, LLP
4939 Brittonfield Parkway
East Syracuse, NY 13057
ATTN: Melissa Imhoff, Privacy Office
The Privacy Officer will review your request and either grant it or explain the reason why it will not be granted. In the event that your request is not granted, you have the right to submit a statement of disagreement that will accompany the information in question for all disclosures. If we agree to make the amendment, we will make the appropriate changes to your record, inform you, and make reasonable efforts to inform those designated by you, that the amendments have been made.
What can I do if I have a Privacy Complaint?
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 requires that the Practice protect the privacy of your Protected health Information (PHI). If you are concerned that we have violated (a) your privacy rights, or (b) our policies and procedures implementing HIPAA compliance within the Practice, and/ or you disagree with a decision we made about access to, or amendment of, your records, you may contact our Practice’s Privacy Office Melissa Imhoff. Our Privacy Officer can be reached by telephone at 315-463-1600 or by mail at the following:
CNY Family Care, LLP
4939 Brittonfield Parkway
East Syracuse, NY 13057
ATTN: Melissa Imhoff, Privacy Office
You also have the right to file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights, Secretary of the Department of Health, and Human Services (HHS). The Practice will investigate reported violations of any privacy policy and will develop and implement a corrective plan of action to deal with any discovered violations.