Medical Records Overview
At Emmitsburg Osteopathic Primary Care Center, we understand the importance of timely, secure, and accurate communication between healthcare providers. Federal and state privacy laws, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), allow healthcare providers to exchange protected health information for purposes related to treatment, payment, healthcare operations, and coordination of care. This helps ensure continuity of care and allows our providers to communicate effectively with specialists, hospitals, laboratories, imaging centers, pharmacies, and other healthcare professionals involved in a patient’s care.
Who Do I Contact?
Hospitals, specialists, urgent care centers, imaging facilities, laboratories, and other healthcare providers requesting records from our office should submit requests via fax to:
Secure eFax: 888-371-3181
Providers sending records to our office for patient care coordination, referrals, consultations, or continuity of care should fax records to:
Secure eFax: 888-371-3181
Attorneys, legal offices, disability representatives, insurance companies, and third-party agencies requesting records, billing statements, affidavits, or other documentation should fax requests, subpoenas, and authorizations to:
ATTN: Kristin Merrill
Fax: 301-447-5851
Direct Line for Inquiries: 301-447-4311
Email: medicalrecords@eopcc.com
If you are a new patient or would like another provider, hospital, or healthcare facility to send records to our office, we strongly prefer that records be sent directly to our secure electronic fax system:
Incoming Medical Records eFax: 888-371-3181
Having records faxed directly to our office often allows for faster processing and review by our clinical team prior to your appointment.
You may request copies of your medical records or authorize records to be released to another individual, healthcare provider, attorney, insurance company, or facility by completing the appropriate authorization forms.
Fees & Processing Times
We process medical records requests in accordance with applicable federal and state laws. Requests are generally processed in the order received and may take up to 7–14 business days depending on the size and complexity of the request, staffing availability, and whether records must be retrieved from archived systems or outside vendors.
To help avoid delays, please ensure that all authorization forms are completed fully and signed where required.
Applicable fees may apply for certain medical record requests in accordance with federal and state law. However, there is typically no charge for records exchanged directly between healthcare providers for continuity of care or treatment purposes.
Release & Exchange of Medical Records
Our office may share relevant medical information with providers and facilities involved in your treatment, including providers to whom we refer you for specialty care, diagnostic testing, therapy services, hospital care, or additional medical evaluation. This exchange of information may occur electronically, by secure fax, through health information exchange systems, or by other HIPAA-compliant methods permitted under applicable law.
Patients may also request copies of their medical records or authorize records to be released to another individual, healthcare provider, attorney, insurance company, or facility by completing the appropriate authorization forms when required.
Important Information
- Medical records requests may require identity verification before records are released.
- Certain records may be subject to additional protections under federal or state law, including behavioral health, substance use treatment, HIV-related information, or other specially protected records.
- Requests for records do not guarantee immediate completion and should not delay urgent medical care.
- For urgent medical concerns, please contact our office directly rather than submitting records requests electronically.
- For the security and privacy of patient information, we ask that sensitive medical information not be submitted through social media or unsecured messaging platforms.