After every medical visit, keep a personal copy of your medical records, test reports, and imaging scans
Original: eternity4719 · source details
Original author: eternity4719 · Chinese source: · English adaptation: parveen0029. Translation and grade notes ↗
Bibliographic titles are retained in their original language.
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Cost and benefit at a glance
- Check the cost Cost ↓
- No cost involved. Hospitals may charge a nominal fee for photocopying, but the rate must be publicly disclosed. The real challenge is remembering to make a copy…
- Then the source benefit Benefit ↓
- Laws explicitly recognize access to and duplication of medical records as a fundamental patient right. This entitlement covers all relevant documents such as outpatient and inpatie…
In plain terms
You have a legal right to access and copy your own medical records. This includes outpatient records, inpatient charts, lab results, imaging scans, surgical and anesthesia notes, pathology reports, and itemized billing statements. Hospitals provide dedicated counters for this purpose, where only basic copying fees apply. These documents prove invaluable when switching doctors, seeking a second opinion, filing commercial insurance claims, or in case of any legal disputes.
This guide's cartoon · show illustration
Enlarge illustrationOriginal illustration with Chinese lettering; the English dialogue is below. Humour is a reading aid, not evidence.
English dialogue
- Is there a shortcut?
- Have the documents ready first.
Cost: what it takes
No cost involved. Hospitals may charge a nominal fee for photocopying, but the rate must be publicly disclosed. The real challenge is remembering to make a copy after each visit.
Benefit: what the source reports
Laws explicitly recognize access to and duplication of medical records as a fundamental patient right. This entitlement covers all relevant documents such as outpatient and inpatient records, lab results, imaging scans, surgical and anesthesia notes, pathology reports, and billing statements. They serve as essential evidence when changing healthcare providers, obtaining a second medical opinion, filing insurance claims, or in any legal proceedings.
Conditions, limits and disagreements
Hospitals maintain dedicated counters for record copying — no need to ask doctors for help. To ensure completeness, simply read aloud the list stipulated in Article 16 of the Regulations on Prevention and Handling of Medical Disputes. It includes outpatient records, inpatient charts, temperature logs, physician orders, lab results, imaging scans, surgical and anesthesia notes, pathology reports, nursing records, and billing statements. Once obtained, organize them chronologically in a dedicated folder. The most critical documents are discharge summaries, surgical reports, pathology findings, and key imaging scans. For chronic disease management, record all relevant metrics in one notebook as described in Section 16. 〔80〕 〔80〕 〔70〕 〔70〕 〔2024〕 〔30〕 〔180〕 〔40〕 〔40〕
Original references
Original bibliographic titles and links are preserved; some titles are in Chinese.
国家卫生健康委办公厅 (2024). 关于印发急诊医学等 6 个专业医疗质量控制指标（2024 年版）的通知（国卫办医政函〔2024〕150 号）附件 1，指标四「急诊分级分诊执行率」. https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/202405/content_6951260.htm；北京市卫生健康委员会 (2019). 北京市加强急诊预检分诊分级工作方案及附件《北京市医院急诊预检分诊分级标准（试行）》：「坚持急危重症优先就诊原则。按照患者病情的严重程度，遵循从重到轻、从病情迅速变化到相对稳定的原则，合理安排患者就诊顺序。」「在急诊科入口的显著位置，设置急诊预检分诊区域」「院前医疗急救医生应按照相关标准对患者进行初步分级，对1、2级患者需及时通知所送医院急诊科做好接诊准备」. http://wjw.beijing.gov.cn/zwgk_20040/ylws/201912/t20191216_1242338.html
Medical, legal, financial and policy conditions vary by person, place and time. Policy material primarily concerns mainland China; check the cited document and current local requirements.