Medical records and the use of your data
In order to provide you with the right and best possible treatment, your care provider will need to keep records about your health and any treatment or other healthcare you receive. This is also required by law. Your medical records contain notes about your health condition and your treatments, examination results, surgery reports, and letters. Only information necessary for your treatment will be recorded in your medical records.
The information included in your medical records may be used for the following purposes:
- Providing other care providers, in or outside Erasmus MC, with information, for example, if you are referred to another care provider, for observation, or after being discharged from the hospital (we inform your GP).
- Informing your family and/or legal representative if you are unable to give consent for your treatment yourself.
- The systematic monitoring, management, and improvement of the quality of care.
- Medical research.
- To claim or invoice the care and services provided.
In addition, data from your medical records will be shared with others if this is prescribed by law. For example, your care provider will need to report an infectious disease to the director of the regional Public Health Service (GGD).
Accessing medical records
The right of a mentally competent patient who is of age to access a medical record (whether paper or electronic) lies primarily with the care provider in charge of treating the patient and with the patient him/herself, insofar as such access does not infringe on the privacy of anyone other than the patient. Furthermore, those directly involved in performing the treatment and any care provider substituting for the practitioner are authorized to access the records if necessary for treatment.
You may be assured that your practitioner will only use the data that has been is necessary to perform his/her professional duties or tasks. Others are not authorized to access your records without your consent, unless this is permitted by law. You can request access to your medical records and/or copies of your records in consultation with your practitioner, unless providing this information would infringe the privacy of other individuals.
If you wish to access or receive a copy of your records, please complete the request form that you can obtain from the Medical Information Office (+31 10 703 58 27). You can also download this form (in Dutch). If you have any questions or comments, please visit the Registration Desk, Medical Information Office. The desk is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 4pm. You may also fill in the contact form.
Changes, additions to, or destruction of medical records
You can request your care provider to rectify information in your medical records if you believe that the data is factually incorrect, incomplete, irrelevant, or in conflict with a statutory regulation. If you do not agree with the contents of your records after having accessed them or after receiving a copy, you can draw up a statement indicating your views on the treatment and ask your care provider to include it in your records. The care provider will accommodate your request.
You may also submit a request in writing for your care provider to destroy your medical records. In principle, the care provider must comply with your request within three months (after having made you aware of any potential risks), unless retaining the records is of significant importance for others or if legislation prohibits the destruction of the records. If your care provider does not respond to your request to destroy your records, then he/she must provide justification.
Summary of your medical records
You can view a summary of your medical records on the secure Patient Portal ‘Mijn Erasmus MC’ to become more engaged with your health and treatment. The portal contains an extensive set of your medical data. On the website you can find information on what is currently available to you in ‘Mijn Erasmus MC’. You can log on here using your DigiD.
Retention of medical records
The information in your records will be stored for a minimum of 15 years. University medical centers store certain medical data up to 115 years after the birth of the patient. You may also submit a request to have your records destroyed.
