Helping You Access Your Medical Records
Our medical records request process ensures your records are kept safe and confidential while providing access when needed. We're here to help you easily obtain the information you need to take charge of your health with access to most of your records.
Access Your Medical Records Online Types of Medical Records Requests
- Records for your Physician(s)
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If your physician is on staff at an AdventHealth facility, he or she may access your medical records from their office without your permission. If not, your doctor’s office can be faxed records that you personally request at no charge to you. You must still submit the appropriate authorization form, making sure to include the physician’s name, mailing address, phone number, and fax number.
A form must be completed for each physician to whom you need your medical records mailed or faxed.
- Insurance, Attorney, and Disability Requests
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Records Requests should be sent from your insurance company, attorney, or Disability Determination Service (DDS) and mailed to the address on the authorization form. All charges for medical records will be billed to the requestor.
- Radiology/Imaging Results or Other Department Requests
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Please contact the Health Information Management (HIM) department for your facility by calling the number listed under Records Request Forms and Contact Information or by visiting the campus HIM office for any medical record needs.
- Birth and Death Certificates
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Birth and Death certificates are not available from AdventHealth’s Health Information Management department. These records must be ordered from the Bureau of Vital Statistics.
Downloadable Forms to Access Your Records
To request a copy of your records for yourself or to request a copy for another health care provider, please download and complete the Patient Request for Access form.
If you need a copy of your hospital medical records for insurance, an attorney or an employer, please download the Authorization for Release of Health Information form.
You can return the completed forms by mail, fax or in person.
Mail:
AdventHealth Polk
Medical Records Department
101 Hospital Drive
Columbus, NC 28722
Phone: 828-894-0876
Fax: 828-894-2056
In-person:
Visit our records department Monday through Friday between 8 am and 4:30 pm.
Please read the Guidelines for Email if you request that we send your records by email.
If a patient lacks legal capacity or cannot sign, an authorized personal representative may sign this form.
They will need to provide written proof of authority for the following:
- Power of Attorney
- Court-appointed guardian or other legally appointed representative
- Executor/administrator/attorney in fact
- Affidavit next of kin
Valid identification may be required, and fees may apply. Some requests are subject to prior approval by the physician or therapist to release your health information.
Release of Medical Records
Paper copies of medical records may be released upon receipt of written authorization of patients over the age of 18 or a legal guardian. Once authorization is received, it may take up to 10 days to process your request. Behavioral health records, by state law, require physician approval prior to release; please allow an additional 3-4 business days for these requests to be processed.
There might be a charge for medical records if being a request by a patient or patient representative. If the records are needed for continued care, there is no charge to the patient when records are sent directly to your physician or the facility providing treatment.
If records are needed for treatment or for an appointment within the next 48-72 hours, physicians can request records by fax when you arrive in his/her office for treatment. Records can be faxed to the physician’s office at no charge to the patient.