The Right to Request an Amendment/Change to Your Medical Record
Inova is committed to supporting your right to request an amendment to information contained in your designated record set. The HIPAA Privacy Rule (45 CFR §164.526), and other applicable federal, state and/or local laws and regulations, give patients the right to request amendments to their medical records, but also permit the provider to decide whether to agree to those requests.
All requests for amendments to your medical record must be in writing and forwarded to the Director of the Health Information Management department. Individuals requesting an amendment must identify:
- The date of the record entry
- The specific changes requested and
- The reasons for the request
Once the request for amendment is received by the department director it will be reviewed and forwarded to the clinician and/or the department affected by the request for review. The clinician must decide whether to accept, partially accept or deny the amendment request. HIPAA allows Inova 60 days to respond from the date the request is received.
If the amendment is accepted, you will be provided a copy of the record with the requested changes. If the clinician states the record is accurate, the clinician is no longer available to amend the Inova record or the record was not created by Inova, you will receive written notification that the amendment is fully or partially denied. The notification will inform you of your rights under HIPAA related to the denial of your request.
The request for amendment, denial letters, statements of disagreement and the providers statement will be included in your record and linked to part of the medical record related to the request.
Need to request an amendment/change to your medical record? Please fill out the Amendment Request Form and return to any of the Inova Health Information Management (Medical Record/Release of Information) Department.
It's never too early to think about an advance care plan (ACP). An ACP is an important and valuable document that makes your health care wishes known when you can't speak for yourself. Putting an ACP in place now – before an emergency situation occurs – is a gift to you and your loved ones. It will help ensure that the medical treatment you receive aligns with the treatment you want.
Birth Certificates
If you need a copy of an existing birth certificate, please contact the Virginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Records. All the details are provided on their website at vdh.virginia.gov/vital-records or call 804-662-6400.