Medical records?

[kacaju]

How long by law is a Dr. office required to keep your records? My husband just saw a commercial about the effects of Actutane (sp?) and it seems it can cause problems with people who have crohns disease. It sounded like there was some class action suit going on?

DH took the medicine back in 1986. This was after he had his first bad flair up of crohns. Well, he is telling me Dr's are not allowed to get rid of your records and I am thinking along the lines of 10 years or so. Doesn't really matter since DH can't remember the name of the Dr anyway. But we were just discussing this and I'd like to know which one of us is right!!

 

[tvguy]

A Google search seems to come up with the same answer, 7 years.
Which is why when you change doctors you should immediately have your records sent over from the old doctor.
I think military doctors are exempt from the records rules. My wife would love to know her medical history, but as an Air Force dependent from birth to age 18, the Air Force says they have no record of her ever even being treated by an Air Force doctor!
Of course the dozen or so moved between two countries, and 6 states didn't help.

 

[wishwash01]

I work for a doctors office. By law it's 7 yrs. We keep them for 10.

 

[disneyaway]

Yup, it is seven years.

I totally agree with the PP about getting a copy of your medical records before you leave a doctor's care.

 

[WhateverLolaWants]

How long by law is a Dr. office required to keep your records? My husband just saw a commercial about the effects of Actutane (sp?) and it seems it can cause problems with people who have crohns disease. It sounded like there was some class action suit going on?

There are some lawsuits going on right now. There was a gentleman recently who won over $25 million for developing IBD after taking the drug in the 1980s. He had a lot of medical bills, surgeries, and lost a part of his bowels. There is currently a warning on the drug now regarding gastrointestinal disorders, but for awhile there was not. My sister was on the drug in the mid-90s and developed facial scars when she finished and has had GI problems for the past couple of years. I wish that some people did not take this drug lightly.

 

[kacaju]

There are some lawsuits going on right now. There was a gentleman recently who won over $25 million for developing IBD after taking the drug in the 1980s. He had a lot of medical bills, surgeries, and lost a part of his bowels. There is currently a warning on the drug now regarding gastrointestinal disorders, but for awhile there was not. My sister was on the drug in the mid-90s and developed facial scars when she finished and has had GI problems for the past couple of years. I wish that some people did not take this drug lightly.

I just saw the commercial that DH saw earlier today. He did take the drug, but he said it was after his first flair. He said he took it in 86 and his second sugery was in 94 where he had a foot and a half of his intestines taken out.