This is but one reason to make multiple copies of your medical record.

[feddoc]

I quit/retired in February. The next day I filed a claim with the VA. It is now 8 months later and I am still awaiting word from them.

I called; they informed me that they could not get a copy of my medical record because the local NAVHOSP could not locate either of the 2 volumes of my record. <I had just finished making copies of the last few weeks of treatment on 05 DEC; I know they had both volumes> I then told them that I had multiple copies of my record, already bound, and offered one up to them, which they accepted.


As a retiree I have tricare for my family and I. However, for those of you who don't have tricare, as well as those who do (or will have) I urge you to make multiple copies of your medical record ASAP. These things have a way of getting lost at the most critical times.

I was a part of BUMED for the last 16 or so years of my career, and it did me no good WRT accuracy of recordkeeping.

 

[Purdue]

That was the one most important thing my mother taught me. (She worked at NAS Norfolk Dental as a Hygentist)

I keep a back-up of my medical, my dental, and several copies of my immunizations.

In just my first two years here as only an Ensign... The Navy has lost my medical records twice completely, and once for just my immunizations.

GO NAVY!

 

[Heloanjin]

I remember a young JO (not me) carrying an entire det's medical and dental records across the brow in a box. The box got caught on a cable and everything went into the water. A few records were salvaged, but most of the det went through a complete round of immunizations. I was glad I had kept my yellow immunization record up to date and out of my medical jacket.

 

[Pcola04/30]

I refuse to turn my medical/dental records over to anyone. They are yours, I just bring them with me to any appointments I have. I dont think many people know this is an option. Just throwing it out there.

 

[HH-60H]

I refuse to turn my medical/dental records over to anyone. They are yours, I just bring them with me to any appointments I have. I dont think many people know this is an option. Just throwing it out there.

I don't believe that is true, I think they are government property. When you get out of the Navy you have to turn them in.

 

[Sly1978]

I have been on the stupid side of this more than once, unfortunately (you'd think I'd learn my lesson). Ever since OCS, I've gotten the Navy's vaccine coktail and somehow the last two times I've transfered to a new command they've opened up my records to find blank immunization records staring at them. I now make copies of everything that they do to me.

 

[Flash]

I refuse to turn my medical/dental records over to anyone. They are yours, I just bring them with me to any appointments I have. I dont think many people know this is an option. Just throwing it out there.

They are government property. When I got out of the Navy a few months ago they would not hand me my signed DD214 until I gave them my medical records and ID card. That was the case with everone at this PSD, they had a huge stack of medical records there.

If there ever was a case for electronic medical records, the military is a great example. They are starting to do it in the DC area but they have a long way to go to catch up to the VA.