Good management of medical records is an indispensable part of a solo attorney, especially for attorneys dealing in personal injuries, medical malpractice, or even disability claims. The documents more often than not usually present important evidence that helps the attorney build a strong case for the client. However, given the nature on which the information touches, the privacy laws at hand, and the big volumes involved, access and proper organization may turn out to be complex and time-consuming. Access and management of these records efficiently would go a long way toward improving work processes for the solitary attorney, who can then have more time to devote to their clients.
Understanding Access to Medical Records
The attorney should therefore know what kinds of medical records are necessary in the litigation context, including personal health records and comprehensive medical histories, to develop the case within ethical and legal parameters.
Legal Considerations for Accessing Medical Records
On accessing the patient’s medical records, the involved attorney is still obligated to uphold legal obligations in the case of patients’ privacy information and security of the data. In the United States, this relates to an Act called the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, controlling access, disclosure, and sharing of medical information.
Types of Medical Records Commonly Required in Litigation
There are various types of medical records that may apply in different medical cases. It is important to know the type of record to request, which is crucial in obtaining pertinent information.
- Personal Health Records: These are records maintained by the patients themselves. This may not be as detailed as medical records secured from the healthcare provider; however, they may provide a valuable perspective on the patient’s appreciation of his or her history.
- Medical History and Treatment Records: Records of medical history and treatment, which include detailed history and diagnosis, plans of treatment, surgical interventions, medicinal regimens, and even a doctor’s notes.
Effective Means of Accessing Medical Records
Records are retrieved efficiently by the use of modern technology in addition to professional services that ensure speed and efficiency in the process:
EHR Systems Utilization
In fact, medical records have now switched from being paper-based to electronic health records thanks to the advancement of electronic documentation within the field, and access and management by a legal expert are no longer time-consuming.
EHRs reduce the time required to manually pull paper records. Searching, filtering, and organizing patient information becomes much easier. Since the records are digital, solo attorneys can have remote access, allowing review from any location.
Working with Medical Record Retrieval Services
By outsourcing to a trusted medical record retrieval service, solo attorneys with multiple cases can free up a lot of time. Such working with medical record retrieval company will make it their job to procure and organize medical records for you, rather than you having to personally approach several health care providers.
- How to Evaluate the Service and Select the Reliable One: While choosing the service, attorneys should pay great attention to the company’s reputation, turnaround time, cost, and compliance with HIPAA standards.
- Why Working with a Reliable Service Helps Solo Attorneys: Indeed, with a reliable medical record retrieval service, solo attorneys will be in the better position to focus upon legal strategy, rather than administrative work. Indeed, attorneys may outsource such tasks of retrieving records so that all necessary documents are obtained in the most efficient way with minimal errors and delays.
Management of Medical Record
Management of medical records will involve organizing, storing, and handling documents to achieve efficiency and adherence to legal requirements. Once retrieved, records must be organized and stored legally and ethically. Secure cloud storage solutions or databases with encryption should be utilized to avoid hacking or other illegal access.
This may be quite voluminous since lawyers sometimes have to engage with volumes of medical records, especially for those clients who are in long-term care or whose treatment history has been very complications-prone. Sorting and prioritizing techniques are using document management software systems with the capability to search and allow the attorney to sort the records by date, provider, or type of treatment.
Wrapping Up
Efficient access and management of medical records are extremely important to allow the solo attorney to prosecute or defend a case that involves medical evidence. Indeed, attorneys will better facilitate their workflow and further improve the results of their cases by understanding how to legally obtain the records, capitalizing on digital tools such as EHR systems, and using responsible medical record retrieval services.