Last week I sent an email to the health records department at the General. In the email I didn't hold back my feelings. Somehow I was able to remain pleasant and respectful even though I was irate. A supervisor replied and answered most of my questions and offered two solutions to correct the racist and stereotyped notes in some of the discharge summaries that are available on Epic.
Here in Ontario a doctor is required to keep records for 10 years after they close their practice. Hospitals don't appear to have a time limit. The supervisor wasn't able to tell me how long the hospital is required to keep records. He did tell me that destruction was possible for my paper records from 1996 to 1999. He promised me he would not scan and upload them to Epic if he can authorize their destruction.
Wow if the records could be destroyed that would help me recover from the trauma caused by 4North and the Emergency Department..... but can I trust them?