At Fishtown Medicine, we don’t want to start your care on "Chapter 10" without knowing what happened in the first nine. That’s why we’re big fans of your old labs, dusty imaging reports, and previous doctor’s notes.
Why We Love Your "Hand-Me-Down" Records
You might think a new doctor means a totally blank slate, but your past records are actually a goldmine of information. By reviewing where you’ve been, we can:
Save Your Veins (and Cash): Why get poked for the same blood draw you had three months ago? If the data is recent and relevant, we won't make you repeat it.
Solve the Medical Mystery: Sometimes the "missing link" to why you’re feeling sluggish or symptomatic is hidden in a trend from two years ago that everyone else overlooked.
Play Nice with the Specialists: It helps us stay on the same page as your cardiologist, therapist, or dermatologist. Teamwork makes the dream work!
The "Deprescribing" Magic: We’re not just here to give you more pills. Seeing your history helps us identify medications you might no longer need, safely helping you scale back.
"But It’s a Mess!" (We're here to manage!)
If you’re worried that your records are a disorganized pile of PDFs or a confusing portal login, don't sweat it. We’re medical detectives, we actually enjoy combing through the details to find the "aha!" moments.
If you aren't sure if a record is still relevant, send it anyway! It’s much better to have too much information than to leave out the one detail that changes your entire treatment plan.
How to Get Your Records to Us
We’ve made it as easy as possible to bridge the gap between your old clinic and our office. You’ve got options:
The Digital Vault: Upload them directly to our secure patient portal.
The Direct Line: If we’re already texting, you can email them to us directly.
The "You Do It" Option: Just tell us where your records are stored. Give us your permission, and we’ll do the heavy lifting of requesting them for you.
The Bottom Line
Sharing your records isn't just "paperwork", it's the first step in a partnership. It allows us to see the full picture of your health so we can move forward with total clarity.
Thank you for trusting Fishtown Medicine. We can't wait to read your story and help you write the next chapter.