[LiteraryLark]

I was hospitalized on January 9th, 2011 and I want ALL my documents, notes, anything and everything that went into my hospitalization and diagnosis. Anything that had to do with my state of mind and what happened in the hospital.

How do I go about getting this info?

[Altarian]

Well that might be difficult because it's been over 6 years, which is the required amount of time that a medical provider has to keep them. If you are lucky and they still have them all you have to do it contact the records department and request them. BUT because they are about Mental Health, you may be denied if they believe that it will result in you physically harming yourself or someone else based on what is in them.
How to Get Copies of Your Medical Records

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by LiteraryLark

I was hospitalized on January 9th, 2011 and I want ALL my documents, notes, anything and everything that went into my hospitalization and diagnosis. Anything that had to do with my state of mind and what happened in the hospital.

How do I go about getting this info?

if you are here in the USA hospitals do not destroy their records after any time frame. to get a copy of your hospital records you contact the hospital. when one of the receptionists answers the call with ....(hospital name) how may I direct your call? you tell them you want the patient files/ record room. when they ask if they do before transferring the call just tell them you were a patient and need some information. then when they transfer your call to the records/ file department tell that file/ records clerk what you would like them to send you. you will need the exact dates of when you were hospitalized and your complete name and social security number and birth date.

once they know what information you are looking for they will ask for your phone number and address. then they will hang up and go look for your files , look in the files for the requested information on the requested dates, then call you or or mail you the information you are looking for.

you may have to pay a fee for photocopying/ printing fees depending upon how extensive the information that you need is.

my suggestion is pick only a couple days worth of information (that would probably equal 3 or 4 pages and printing wouldnt amount to cents to only a couple dollars if that, and postage only costs one or 2 standard stamps. then after you receive those if you still want more copies of your files call the hospital again with a couple more dates. my point many hospitals wont charge a fee if it cost little to nothing to copy/ print and mail the info out. I have gotten whole files worth of info for close to free this way. not all hospitals will do it this way though. you would have to ask your hospital what their fee's are.

Perhaps discuss this with your psychiatrist. They certainly can inform you of the laws and may be in a position to get the process started.