By registering for an account with YourMedChart.com, you have taken a big step towards improving your personal healthcare. Over the coming years, the degree to which YourMedChart.com will help you save time, money and improve your healthcare will depend on the amount of information that is contained in your online record.

The more medical reports and imaging you submit will increase the usefulness of your online medical record to all of your physicians in the future. Remember that healthcare is a lifelong concern. Reports that may not seem important now can be extremely helpful and important in the future. Submitting all official reports and images will ensure future availability and provide your physicians with complete information.

Medical offices and hospitals across the United States have differing policies relating to copying and faxing medical information. YourMedChart.com cannot dictate patient information procedures for individual institutions. However, we have some tips for obtaining your medical reports and images without inconveniencing yourself or your physician:

1. Tell all of your physicians about YourMedChart.com. Most physicians are excited by motivated patients interested in tracking their healthcare. These physicians will help you get information onto your online record.
2. Always request copies of lab reports when your physician discusses the lab results with you. Physicians usually have the reports with them at the time of discussion, so copies can be quickly made.
3. Whenever you undergo imaging, request the physician to order a second set of images for submission to YourMedChart.com. If the imaging is electronically available, request a CD with the images (preferred).
4. If you are hospitalized, request a discharge summary or hospitalization summary at the time of discharge. If it is not ready, request that it be sent to you as soon as it has been completed.
5. For all other reports (pathology, surgery), request copies when physicians discuss the results or procedure with you.
6. If your physician's office agrees, ask that your medical reports be directly faxed to YourMedChart.com toll free at (800) 311-7086.

Remember that the overwhelming majority of physicians want to be helpful and accommodate patient requests. However, physicians are often quite busy taking care of many patients. By requesting information and reports during your own patient encounters with a physician, you will save the physician's time as he/she already has your medical record in front of them. This will increase the speed and ease with which you obtain copies of your medical reports.

Some physician practices and hospitals will charge patients for copies of reports and images. YourMedChart.com does not control procedures at individual healthcare institutions. YourMedChart.com does not reimburse or subsidize costs relating to copying, faxing, or transferring medical information, reports, imaging, etc. as contracted between individual patients and their healthcare providers.