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MEDICAL RECORDS ACCESS/COPY FORM HMO Lawyers Teach HMO Doctors How to Write Jackie and I watched a medical malpractice defense lawyer on Court TV several years ago. The lawyer picked up a pen. He said he teaches doctors how to write medical records. He teaches them that what they write and how they write make the difference between winning or losing appeals, arbitration and malpractice cases. (Click here to read about the HMO Poison Pen) The Records Racket HMOs and HMO doctors do not make access to medical records easy for patients. When we first joined our HMO, it had a policy that patients could access their medical records for two hours only on weekday afternoons in the Medical Records Department at the HMO hospital. We knew that many of our doctors also maintained separate files in their offices. Our HMO told us that we did not have the right to access those records, i.e.: "You cant see your records, without passing thru HMO metal detectors." (HMO Songbook, "Make It One for the Patient") The Patients Play HMO HARDBALL We used the Patient Pressure System:
The Bottom Line Dont make it easy for your HMO and its doctors to "doctor" your medical records to win appeals, arbitrations, and lawsuits. Read your medical records. Copy the records you need to support your case. If your HMO has its own form, attach it to HMO HARDBALLs form. Your HMO will know that you are really taking responsibility to get your records.
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