# Where do I go to get my medical records.



## gryphonv (27 Jan 2017)

I've released about 6 months now. I was told its best not to pull the records until after a few months if you had claims in with VAC. (not sure if that is valid).

Do I just go to my local military hospital to pull the records? Or somewhere else?


----------



## George Wallace (27 Jan 2017)

gryphonv said:
			
		

> I've released about 6 months now. I was told its best not to pull the records until after a few months if you had claims in with VAC. (not sure if that is valid).
> 
> Do I just go to my local military hospital to pull the records? Or somewhere else?



At the time of your Release (During your Release Medical), you should have asked for a copy of your Medical Records.  It would have taken them six months to a year to photocopy them.  Your Medical Docs will be sent to the National Archives in a year after your Release.  As you say it has been only six months, you can try to contact your last UMS/MIR/Hosp and see if you can still apply through them for a copy or you will have to use the Access to Information Request forms to get a copy.


----------



## gryphonv (27 Jan 2017)

Thanks


----------



## SupersonicMax (27 Jan 2017)

Pretty much everything is online.  When I asked to get mine 2 years ago, it took them 5 minutes.


----------



## George Wallace (27 Jan 2017)

SupersonicMax said:
			
		

> Pretty much everything is online.  When I asked to get mine 2 years ago, it took them 5 minutes.



1.  You are still serving.

2.  Were you in the CAF before all Medical Records went "digital"?

Once you are Released, your records are held on file for a period of time and then sent to Archives.  If you are no longer serving, it does not matter where they are, they are not accessed easily.  It is no longer a simple case of a Serving Member walking into their UMS/MIR and asking for a copy.


----------



## SupersonicMax (27 Jan 2017)

George Wallace said:
			
		

> 1.  You are still serving.
> 
> 2.  Were you in the CAF before all Medical Records went "digital"?
> 
> Once you are Released, your records are held on file for a period of time and then sent to Archives.  If you are no longer serving, it does not matter where they are, they are not accessed easily.  It is no longer a simple case of a Serving Member walking into their UMS/MIR and asking for a copy.



If he goes to his last service provider and they still have access to his file, it will be the same as if he was a member. Whether you are serving or not is irrelevant in the amount of time it takes to get a copy of the file.  What may be an issue is getting them to do it, but the physical process of getting the docs should be fairly straight forward.

Yes, I was in the CF before they went digital.


----------



## Darkage (27 Jan 2017)

Fill out the "Personal Information Request Form" (DND 2797) available at: http://www.forces.gc.ca/assets/FORCES_Internet/docs/en/transparency/d2797-em-(1).pdf

And send it to the following address:
Director Access to Information and Privacy (DAIP)
National Defence Head Quarters
Major-General George R. Pearkes Building
101 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0K2

That's what I did for my medical, dental and personal files. It took between 1-2 months to receive all three by mail on a CD.

Hope this helps...


----------



## Occam (27 Jan 2017)

You can request them via an online Privacy Act request.  Quicker than mailing the form.

http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/transparency-access-info-privacy/request-forms.page

They will ask for an extension of the time limit by letter.  There will be a phone number on the letter that you can call to ask them to expedite if it is to support a VAC claim.


----------



## George Wallace (28 Jan 2017)

The only time consuming part in getting your copy, that may lengthen delivery time, will be if portions of your Medical Docs are not digital, but hard copies that have to be scanned by someone.  Those factors would be the availability of your files, availability of a person to scan the files, and the time to scan and transfer all info to one file.


----------



## SupersonicMax (28 Jan 2017)

My physical documents, and I assume all others, were digitized and put in the electronic file.


----------



## gryphonv (28 Jan 2017)

Thanks for all the info. I've used the online request, lets see how long it takes.


----------



## Gunner98 (29 Jan 2017)

If you entered the Forces since the files became digitized and you request a CD version of your files it can happen relatively quickly (1-2 months).  If your career spans the paper and digital time frames then you could receive both a paper and a CD version of the relevant information.  It is also possible to request copies of digital X-rays, DVD of CT/MRI scans.  Sometimes you are better to ask for files from a specific time period if you are dealing with a disability claim or a post-release medical appointment.  You can submit two separate release of personal information requests.  Often all of the scanning and review of your health/medical information is not completed as of your last day in uniform. 

After the date that CFHIS (Canadian Forces Health Information System) went digital, the pre-existing paper files were not subsequently scanned into CFHIS.  Only new enrollees' files and new documents became digital files.  In my case no one would have been expected to scan two volumes of paper files dating back 20 years and correctly save each medical document into the correct folder in CFHIS.

So, it is not quite as easy as SSMax describes, you can't usually/always expect to walk up to a counter (or make a phone call) asking for a file, they make a copy and you walk away 5 minutes later.  The "delays" people are describing result from the fact that each document (paper or digital) in your medical file still needs to be reviewed to ensure you are not receiving someone else's medical or personal information and that every document up to your last health encounter is available.  A qualified health records person needs to verify the integrity of your medical file (the same as they do when you ask for a copy of your personnel file).

It has nothing to do with contacting your last provider because the health records custodian is not a medical practitioner (MD, MO, Nurse, PA etc).  There is a senior health records person in each clinic that is the actual maintainer/guardian/custodian of the paper and digital file.  They have to sign off on the release of personal information and are held accountable should you receive someone else's personal information.


----------

