# Med Records?



## Roy C (Sep 29, 2012)

I was wondering, what do you do about your medical records from the UK. We will be going private for at least the first year so do we have to have them copied and bring them. Also when filling out the med questions for insurance, how can they check your answers, not that I am aware of any dodgy conditions and being a hypochondriac I have regular doctor visits and blood tests.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

We asked our doctor for all of our records when we moved to Spain (seem to recall it cost £30 each).

They've never been looked at in Spain - each person has wanted to do their own diagnosis! Bit appaled by this as I have a long-standing back problem and have had 5 operations. Without knowing the history, how can a doctor move forward with suggestions?


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## Roy C (Sep 29, 2012)

Thanks snikpoh , it would probably be a waste of time in that case even bothering.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

When we moved to Spain, we had 2 years' cover in the state system (which we never used apart from one GP visit for me due to sinusitis) and private health insurance thereafter. Neither of us has ever been asked for medical records from the UK. The private health clinics do ask medical history questions when you consult a doctor or specialist (and you can have annual screening as part of your policy) but as Snikpoh said, they want to do their own tests.

If you did obtain medical records from the UK you'd need to have them translated anyway.

When we filled in the insurance company questionnaire we answered all the questions honestly, but from memory they weren't terribly extensive (are you taking any medication and if so what kind and for what, have you consulted a doctor within the last 12 months and if so for what, have you been a hospital inpatient within the last 12 months and if so for what, that kind of thing). Neither of us had any pre-existing conditions anyway. I don't know how the insurance companies go about checking your answers, but I suspect they may not do any checking before you are accepted. However, if you subsequently started claiming for treatment for what appeared to be a long standing condition, I suspect they would then start asking questions and very probably refuse to pay. There are waiting periods for everything other than GP visits and emergency treatment anyway, varying between 3 and 12 months depending on the kind of treatment, so that protects them to some extent from claims being made for pre-existing conditions.

By the way, in the private system something I found strange at first was the fact that you get copies of all your own records (doctors' reports, blood tests, X-rays, mammogram and ultrasound printouts, ECGs, everything). When you go back for a follow-up appointment you have to take the relevant previous ones with you. The onus is very much on you to make your own follow-up appointments, you won't be called back, and if you are referred to a specialist or surgeon it's up to you to get the prior authorisation from the insurance company and then make your own appointment, it's not like getting a referral from your GP and waiting for an appointment to be sent to you from the hospital.


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

I had all my medical records brought in English from Canada. Fortunately I had a private family doc to start with who could read English, and he translated the highlights of my reports. I brought those to my public family doc, who input all the info on his computer. So it depends on the doc as to whether or not he'll/she'll use your previous records. To be on the safe side, I'd bring all your records. It's easier to bring them now than to try to get them later whilst living in Spain, right?


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I've got a friend who works in "medical records" and as far as she knows, the complete records arent sent, but stored. A "patient summary" is sent *when requested by the new doctor/hospital *with bullet points/highlights of important issues. Any further information that may be required can be asked for by the new clinician. Obviously this will need translating, but generally there is someone who can do that within the hopsital/doctors surgery in Spain

Jo xxx


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## Roy C (Sep 29, 2012)

Thanks all and Lynn that was really useful to know what to expect with the application for the insurance e and process.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

jojo said:


> I've got a friend who works in "medical records" and as far as she knows, the complete records arent sent, but stored. A "patient summary" is sent *when requested by the new doctor/hospital *with bullet points/highlights of important issues. Any further information that may be required can be asked for by the new clinician. Obviously this will need translating, but generally there is someone who can do that within the hopsital/doctors surgery in Spain
> 
> Jo xxx



Maybe on the coast but certainly not in our medical centre. 

In fact my wife is in the process of translating for someone as there is no-one who speaks sufficient English at the hospital (never mind translating technical documents).


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

Snikpoh, I'm in CDS and there was no one in the public system to translate my records either. I've seen many, many doctors in the course of my year here, and only two spoke English. So all my records needed translating. Roy, if you need a referral to the private family doc I used who can translate, it might work for you, since he's near Torrox in Torre del Mar.


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## The Skipper (Nov 26, 2014)

Roy C said:


> I was wondering, what do you do about your medical records from the UK. We will be going private for at least the first year so do we have to have them copied and bring them. Also when filling out the med questions for insurance, how can they check your answers, not that I am aware of any dodgy conditions and being a hypochondriac I have regular doctor visits and blood tests.


We have been insured with two different companies since arriving in Spain and neither of them asked for UK medical records and therefore could not have verified the truth or otherwise of the medical histories we declared on the application forms. My wife has been involved in a long-running legal battle in the UK and was asked last year to authorise the release of her medical records to her solicitor. The former UK GP surgery said they no longer had any records for my wife. We had to pay GBP 50 to the NHS for a search of the regional archives and the records were eventually found. With hindsight I think we were a little too helpful when we applied for our private medical cover here!


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

We wrote up a brief resumé of our medical history, in particular, operations and serious conditions which we gave to our Health Service Dr. She picked out the pieces that were of interest (e.g. my CABG, etc) and entered them on our records here. I DO like the practice here of making the patient responsible for keeping her/his own records (including X-Rays) - it gives the patient a sense of ownership and responsibility.


As for Jojo's comment about there being somebody in health centres/hospitals to translate foreign documents - in an ideal world/isolated places that might be the case, but it is far from reality for most of Spain.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

baldilocks said:


> As for Jojo's comment about there being somebody in health centres/hospitals to translate foreign documents - in an ideal world/isolated places that might be the case, but it is far from reality for most of Spain.


 Its how it is "supposed" to be !!! I'm surprised the NHS doesnt translate it all before sending it on - they seem to enjoy hemorrhaging money!

Jo xxx


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## Rabbitcat (Aug 31, 2014)

Don't get me started about foreign nationals and medical services!!

I remember when I worked in an opticians. A Polish gentleman cane in for glasses

I asked him " Can you read out the top line on this eye test chart?"

He replied " Read it? I went to school with him!!!"


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Rabbitcat said:


> Don't get me started about foreign nationals and medical services!!
> 
> I remember when I worked in an opticians. A Polish gentleman cane in for glasses
> 
> ...


The old ones eh? I thought it was the bottom line since the top line only has one letter. Oh what a pedant I am.....


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

thrax said:


> The old ones eh? I thought it was the bottom line since the top line only has one letter. Oh what a pedant I am.....


He's talking about the *Irish* sight test.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

baldilocks said:


> I DO like the practice here of making the patient responsible for keeping her/his own records (including X-Rays) - it gives the patient a sense of ownership and responsibility.
> 
> .


Is that also the case in the state sector, then? I haven't used it enough to know.

I don't dislike getting my own results and records and keeping them at home, it's just very different from what I was used to with the NHS where everything is sent to the doctor and the patient never gets to see them. My OH would rather I didn't get them, though, as I can't resist going on the net and interpreting my own results.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Lynn R said:


> I can't resist going on the net and interpreting my own results.


Yes, we are in the state sector and from experience, it isn't necessary to go on the net to interpret results (even X-Rays), make diagnoses and identify treatments. The health centre waiting area is full of diagnosticians, clinicians and prescribing experts. Everyone will give you her/his diagnosis, prognosis and advise on the course of treatment. Confidentiality does not exist as far as medical matters are concerned, especially in a village health centre. And it is great, you share your troubles (not voluntarily, but they wheedle it out of you) and people respond as though they are part of one big caring, sharing family.


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## Roy C (Sep 29, 2012)

I try my hardest to stay off Dr Google as I'd diagnose myself with a myriad of illnesses. So I don't know how I'd handle walking about with my xrays and notes. Google translate would melt.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> I DO like the practice here of making the patient responsible for keeping her/his own records (including X-Rays) - it gives the patient a sense of ownership and responsibility.


We are getting digitalised here and now nobody gets a copy of the x ray. The doctor accesses it and views it on her/ his computer screen. I had an x- ray done in El Escorial earlier on in the year and this was the method used. Patient's notes are also computerised as are prescriptions. To get an appointment you can either go to the clinic or go online. I believe you can do it by phone, but it's not very straightforward and involves going through a lenghthy "press number one if you want bla bla" process first


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> We are getting digitalised here and now nobody gets a copy of the x ray. The doctor accesses it and views it on her/ his computer screen. I had an x- ray done in El Escorial earlier on in the year and this was the method used. Patient's notes are also computerised as are prescriptions. To get an appointment you can either go to the clinic or go online. I believe you can do it by phone, but it's not very straightforward and involves going through a lenghthy "press number one if you want bla bla" process first


That press number business is like UK. Here if we want an appointment, it is just call one number at any time and straight onto the appointments service for any surgery in our area.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> That press number business is like UK. Here if we want an appointment, it is just call one number at any time and straight onto the appointments service for any surgery in our area.


As it used to be here...


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Pesky Wesky said:


> We are getting digitalised here and now nobody gets a copy of the x ray. The doctor accesses it and views it on her/ his computer screen. I had an x- ray done in El Escorial earlier on in the year and this was the method used. Patient's notes are also computerised as are prescriptions. To get an appointment you can either go to the clinic or go online. I believe you can do it by phone, but it's not very straightforward and involves going through a lenghthy "press number one if you want bla bla" process first


I really liked the facility to make an appointment online, it was very easy to use. Of course not everyone will have internet access so it's good that there is the Salud Responde service in Andalucia whereby patients can make an appointment at any health centre in the region. I haven't used it so don't know how straightforward it is.

I once phoned our local health centre for a neighbour who wanted the doctor to make a home visit for his wife. The phone was answered quite promptly but after I'd explained what I wanted, the person on the other end said "momentito", put the receiver down on the desk (I could hear people talking in the background) and disappeared leaving me hanging on for 10 minutes. I ended up literally running down to the health centre (luckily only 5 minutes away and all downhill) as 10am was the cut off point for requesting a home visit and we were getting dangerously close to it. It didn't exactly fill me with confidence when it came to phoning the health centre direct!

The doctor did visit, though, before 1pm the same day, so I was quite impressed by that.


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