how to obtain medical records

follow these steps to receive your child’s medical records

In order to obtain a copy of medical records from Dayton Children’s please adhere to the following process.

• Request and authorization: Complete the “Release of medical information" form.
  • To minimize costs, we suggest requesting a copy of specific dates of service rather than the entire medical record. If you are requesting records from an inpatient hospitalization, an “abstract” of the record gives you all the essential elements without having all the daily assessments. Learn more about a “typical abstract.”
• Sending in the form: Submit the form using DocuSign. DocuSign is an electronic way to submit the form. You can also return the form by mail, email, or fax. Please note that the form MUST have a signature from a parent, guardian or patient 18 years of age or older.
  • DocuSign: click here to fill out the Release of medical information electronically. 
  • Mail:
    Health Information Management
    Dayton Children's Hospital
    One Children's Plaza
    Dayton, OH 45404
  • Email: medrecrequest@childrensdayton.org
  • Fax: 937-641-5404
• Cost: There is no charge for patients or parents to receive copies of their medical records. 
• Timing: Please allow 7-10 business days after payment processing for copies to be prepared. No same day requests will be accepted. If you have an appointment with a specific date in which you need your copies, please mark this on your authorization form.
• Obtaining the copies: Copies of medical records can be obtained by mail, email, fax, or MyKidsChart (must have an active MyKidsChart account. If you don't have an active account click here). Please mark your preference on your authorization form.

what is a typical abstract?

If you are requesting records from an inpatient hospitalization, an “abstract” of the record gives you all the essential elements without having all the daily assessments.  If you are requesting records for a physician office, an abstract of the record will give the physician an overview and summary of the patient’s care. This will usually be sufficient for continuing care

• Discharge summary – This summary includes information about a child’s inpatient stay including their care, treatment, services provided and progress towards goals.
• History and physical – Information about the child’s current illness and any relevant history.
• Consultation reports – A physicians findings and recommendations after examining a patient.
• Operative report(s), if applicable – Important information from the surgeon detailing their findings, technical procedures, specimens removed and post-operative diagnosis.
• Diagnostic tests