FAQs for Medical Records

Advance Care Planning

If you are 18 or older and mentally able to make decisions, you have the right to choose how you want your medical care handled. Advance directives are legal forms that explain your choices.

HIM will add this information to your medical record when you email a copy of your advance care planning document to HIM at HIMROI@wakemed.org.

If you need help creating an advance care planning document, please visit Spiritual Care Advance Care Planning.  

Birth and Death Certificates

WakeMed does not provide copies of birth or death certificates.

To get a copy, please contact the County Register of Deeds Office.
You can visit Birth, Death & Marriage Certificates | Wake County Government

Medical Record Corrections

According to WakeMed’s Notice of Privacy Practices, you can ask for a correction to your medical record by filling out the Amendment to Protected Health Information (PHI) Form. 

WakeMed will review your request and decide if the information is incorrect or incomplete and revise your health record accordingly.

You will receive a written response as soon as possible — no later than 60 days. If more time is needed, you will be notified, and the deadline may be extended up to 30 more days.
 

If you need a copy of a deceased patient’s medical records, you’ll need to provide certain documents. What you need depends on your relationship to the patient, the patient’s age, and whether there is a legal estate.

Determine Your Role

If the patient had a legal estate, you must provide court documents showing the name of the legal executor or administrator of the estate.

If there is no legal estate, the next of kin may request the records by completing the Affidavit of Surviving Spouse or Next of Kin Form.

Who Qualifies as Next of Kin in North Carolina?

If there is no legal executor or estate, and the decedent was 18 years of age or older, North Carolina follows this order of priority for next of kin:
1.    Surviving spouse
2.    Adult children
3.    Parents
4.    Adult siblings
5.    Other relatives in order of closeness (based on state inheritance laws)

Once You Have Determined Your Role you are ready to gather Required Documents
•    Copy of the death certificate 
•    Completed authorization form English | Spanish
•    Completed Affidavit of Surviving Spouse or Next of Kin Form – this form will need to be notarized.
•    IMPORTANT: If the patient was 17 years old or younger, an Affidavit of Surviving Spouse or Next of Kin is not required.

WakeMed will review your documents and respond as quickly as possible.
 

Imaging Records

Requests for 210PET Imaging

If you are the patient and need records from a 210PET Imaging visit, you will need to complete a separate authorization form called the 210PET Imaging Authorization to Release Medical Information.

• Forms are available in English | Spanish
• Once completed, return the form to the Health Information Management (HIM) Department - see FAQ How do I contact WakeMed Medical Records?
• Treating providers only need to submit a request providing patient’s name, date of birth, date of service, and the information needed – see FAQ How do I contact WakeMed Medical Records?
   

Requests for other Imaging (X-rays, CTs, MRIs, etc.)

• Many healthcare providers can receive imaging electronically through PowerShare.
• On your Authorization to Release Healthcare Information form, you can choose PowerShare as the delivery method.
  • If your provider can’t accept electronic images, WakeMed will mail a CD to the provider listed on your form.
• If you are requesting a personal copy of your imaging, please allow 48 hours for processing.

Legal Requests

Attorneys for Non-Subpoenaed Requests Fax to

Copy Service at 919-350-8991

Court Orders and Subpoenas Mail to

WakeMed Health & Hospitals

Attn:  Office of Legal Affairs

3000 New Bern Avenue

Raleigh, NC 27610

Please note that N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-53 and the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), 42 C.F.R. § 164.512 restrict when medical records can be produced.  WakeMed generally can provide such records only in response to a valid court order from a North Carolina or federal court with appropriate jurisdiction or a HIPAA-compliant patient authorization. 

Requesting a Restriction on Your Medical Information

According to WakeMed’s Notice of Privacy Practices, you have the right to ask for limits on how your protected health information (PHI) is used or shared.

• WakeMed is not required to agree to your request.
• If WakeMed does agree, staff will follow the restriction unless:
  • The law requires the information to be shared,
  • It’s needed to give you emergency medical care, or
  • You decide to cancel the restriction in writing.
     
• English
• Spanish

Notice of Privacy Practices

WakeMed identifies how your information is shared in our Notice of Privacy Practices. Anytime your information is released as required by law, an entry is made in our disclosure log. You can request to see these entries for anytime frame during the past 6 years by completing the Request for an Accounting of Disclosures Form.

Reporting Improper Access to Your Medical Records

If you think someone looked at your medical records without permission, you should call 800-379-0279.

This is WakeMed’s Corporate Integrity & Audit Services confidential hotline.

Your call will be private, and you can report your concern safely.