Medical Records

We will need a copy of your child’s medical records, particularly immunization records and growth data/charts (previous heights and weights). We do not necessarily have to have this information at your first visit; however, if you are coming for a well-child visit and your child is due for immunizations, then we must have a copy of her shot records so we can tell what shots are due at this visit, since immunization schedules often differ from one practice to another. If you are keeping a book with your child’s shot records in it, then this is sufficient in most cases for us to tell what shots are due.

It often takes 3-4 weeks or more to get medical records transferred. In most cases, you need to submit a written request to your child’s previous doctor. We have a form you can use here on our website; just print and complete the form and fax or mail it to your child’s previous doctor. (You may need to call their office to confirm receipt of the request and that it is being processed). Some offices have a fee, so we suggest that you call their office first to see what their procedure is prior to sending them the form.

There is some confusion about practices charging for medical records. Many states, including Georgia, have a law stating what doctor’s offices may charge for medical records. In Georgia, this includes a per-page copy fee, postage, a certification fee, and an administrative/retrieval fee. However, federal privacy law (HIPPA) forbids a doctor charging patients the administrative fee when requesting a copy of records. Therefore, when requesting to have your child’s records transferred to our office, the practice can only charge you copying and postage fees, not an administrative fee.