I left a up date on the first thread of this.
I did ask for my health records. And expected them at 5pm today. Nothing. Wouldn't release films.And then I get a call at 6pm from the staff member in the afternoon shift. She said the vet wouldn't release them as they are property of the vet clinic.

I said I have paid for them. Why is it i can get my health records from my Dr. And not from the vet clinic. ?
Matter fact why are you calling me on your time.This should of been taken care of in the vet office before you went home.

I just said FORGET IT. MY other vets have enough of my animals health info anyway. I said i don't plan to come back to the clinic regardless.

I haven't read through the original thread (this one is titled "update") yet, so please take this information and use it however you see fit. I have worked in the veterinary profession for over 16 years now, and thus, have worked at a few different hospitals.

The radiographs (films) actually *are* property of the veterinary hospital that takes them in the first place, though often you can get copies for an additional charge or you can sign to "check them out." Yes, you paid for the imaging procedure and the information that the films give, but not the films themselves. Legally, the veterinarian is required to keep them- on premises- for a certain number of years.

Original records/labwork results are also property of a veterinary hospital, but to the best of my knowledge, it is actually illegal to refuse to provide copies for an owner or another hospital...it is *not* illegal for the hospital to charge for the said copies, however. It always irritates me when hospitals charge extra for a copy of your records, regardless of how time-consuming it is (I guess I could see it for a 200-page report, but rarely will you find records like that). I have never worked in a hospital like this, thankfully, but I know of several clients who have had to pay to get copies to bring to our hospital.

I hope you find a reputable veterinarian that you are comfortable with.

Certainly not to defend the behavior of your ex-vet, but films taken at a clinic have to be kept as records for a period of 7 years (I think that is the magic number ). However, any and all of your animals' medical info in the form of charts can and should be copied and released to you on request. If they won't release it to you, ask one of your other vets to request a copy of the medical records on your animals. So sorry you are having to deal with this mess.

Ditto. I might add that people hospitals are the same. If they try to soak you for copies you might want to see if the laws in your state say that they can't charge anything more than what's reasonable and customary. Usually they can charge whatever they like.

Well it really doesn't matter now that i think of it.
As the films I'm missing only 1 anyway I always have them take 2 I Pay for the xtra when it's taken then it's mine to keep, Other then shot records and wellness exams on the puppies. No biggie Because They are not my sole veternarians.

I don't get charged for copies through my Human doctors. for health records.
And they always give me the xrays or a copy of them with no additional charge.They are on CD's actually i have only had a couple of xrays taken.

The human hospital here takes the xrays for the veternarian practice.Not the vet. Only one I have used that doesn't develope there own......

Thanks again.

If all else fails check the Attorney general's website for your particular state and do a search of the site for "Freedom of Information." It should explain to you how you can request the records (if you choose not to have your new vet obtain them, or the previous vet still won't release them. In Illinois the form used is simple and pretty straight forward.

How would freedom of information apply to records in a private office?
That's only for government records.

Sorry to hear that you are going through this. I changed Veterinarians earlier this year and the old Vet never did get around to releasing my records. It was a big hassle but also a lesson learned for me. I have all of my x-rays on disc now along with a couple of copies of all receipts and reports.
Sheila

I've changed vets a few time over the years and had a heck of a time releasing records from the old vet to the new vet. They only sent printouts of bills and services never charts or notes etc.

This really got me... I had to euthanize a beloved senior dog this week and during the procedure they actually had the nerve to ask me about my outstanding balance of $60.00!!!!!!!!

I live in NH and work at a vets.
By law, and I don't know if its State or National, but a vets office is required to release copies upon request in a timely manner.
We try to get it done within 24 hours. We have had clients come to us with no records due to a vets refusal to release them. A call to the State vet usually will correct this problem.

If it is not in the phone book, get the main information number for your state's capitol offices. Then call that number and ask for the number for your state's veterinary board (the one that is responsible for licensing your state's veterinarians). Call that board and explain the situation to them and ask if they would intervene with your old vet to help get your dogs' records. My quess is that you will soon get a phone call from your old vet's office asking whether they should send you your records or do you want to pick them up?

That's ridiculous! I would do as others have suggested and report them to the state veterinary board. I've never had a problem getting my animals' health records. Once when I moved out of state, the vet I used in my old state even faxed my cat's records to my new vet - the same day I requested them. As for a law about retaining x-rays, how does that work? When my vet takes an OFA radiograph, the original gets sent to OFA and it's not returned. They don't send a copy and I don't believe they make a copy for themselves. Also, I've had prelim x-rays done on my dogs (not sent to OFA, just reviewed with my vet) and they're sitting in my home right now. Maybe that's a state by state law? I'm not sure, but I would research that if it's the excuse they're using to keep your records from you.

You could have your new vet phone and request that the files be faxed to thier office. If the receptionist is willing to tell a white lie, she can tell them they need the records by "tomarrow" because you already have an aptionment booked and the vet would like to review the previouse treatments. I would think that a request comeing from anothr vet would get some results.