How to Amend Medical Records in Pennsylvania

Errors in a patient's medical records can adversely affect health insurance coverage and the ability to receive proper care. Pennsylvania laws and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) allow a patient to amend a medical record if they think there's been an error. Patients may come to find out their record is flawed if an insurance claim is denied unexpectedly, if a doctor or nurse comments on something in the file that's unrecognizable; or if the patient looks at their record and sees the error. Inaccurate information won't be deleted, but if an amendment request is approved, the correct details will be included with the record.

Things You'll Need

• Inaccurate medical record

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Instructions

• 1

  Look over the medical record in question to make sure its the one you want to amend.

• 2

  Call your doctor's office to find out their procedure for amending a medical record. Pennsylvania laws and HIPAA provide a legal framework that the doctor has to work within, but the actual amendment procedure may vary from office to office. For example, Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia requires a specific form be sent to their Hospital Privacy Office, while the Greater Hazleton Health Alliance in Hazleton requires a written statement be sent to the hospital's Director of Medical Records.

• 3

  Obtain and fill out any forms that the doctor's office requires for the amendment. Follow all instructions. The doctor's office can require a request in writing; the staff is not bound to follow verbal requests unless their policy states you may request the amendment verbally.

• 4

  Ask the office staff what's required to make the amendment if they don't have their own form. According to the Health Policy Institute of Georgetown University, what likely will be needed is your identifying information, the information in your medical record that you think is incorrect, an explanation as to why you think it's incorrect, and the information that you want to add.

• 5

  Compose a letter including all requested information if there's no form.

• 6

  Deliver the form or letter. If you mail it, use certified mail. Request a return receipt.