find childhood medical records

September 26, 2006 1:44 PM

How can track down childhood medical records? My pediatrician seems to have disappeared without a trace.

Since I last saw her (approximately 7 years ago) she worked at 2 different practices and then established her own. I've called the practices, and no one seems to know where she's gone. She is no longer licensed in Massachusetts. Would she have been required to retain patients' records if she retired? If she has passed away, what would have been done with the patient records?

posted by saffron to Health & Fitness (5 answers total)

When you saw her did she have her own practice or was she working at a larger clinic? If it's the latter, the clinic should have your records.
posted by thirteenkiller at 1:57 PM on September 26, 2006

Patient records are often kept for 7 years for legal reasons and then discarded, so you may be out of luck even if you did track her down. Here's the CT law; I can't find the equivalent MA laws about retention or notice of destruction of records. Your only chance is if one of the clinics still has your records.
posted by cobaltnine at 2:05 PM on September 26, 2006

Every state keeps records of its licensed physicians pretty much forever (i.e., even after the license lapses); if she has a license in another state, then Massachusetts will have a record of the request for verification of Massachusetts credentials, since every state requires you to verify every single medical license you've had in every state you've had it. That might give you a clue as to where she's practicing now.
posted by delfuego at 3:15 PM on September 26, 2006

You didn't say what you needed, but if you just need immunization records, that might be on your transcripts from your elementary and/or high school.
posted by Monday at 3:29 PM on September 26, 2006

I've never used it, but it seems if she hasn't passed away, the Nationwide Directory of Medical Licenses should help you locate her.
posted by joannemerriam at 4:23 PM on September 26, 2006