Is there a way to obtain the medical records of my grandmother who died 23 years ago?

These records would be very helpful to me because I will be getting genetic testing done in the future, and it helps to have detailed family medical history. She died very quickly of a fast moving cancer, and recently my dad- her son- also died of a fast moving cancer. I am concerned for my own health because this happened in both generations, and I take after that side. I am getting my dad's medical records now. The problems are that I was not the executor of my grandmother, my uncle was, and he is also passed on. In short, I am the only living decendant of my grandmother. Plus, she died in 1984 and she was in New York and I live in another state. I do have her death certificate (which doesn't include a space for a cause of death, oddly enough, though she was diagnosed), I know which hospital she was in (NYU) and when and for how long. I know she was diagnosed with a specific cancer, but I don't know the name. I don't mind paying a fee for the records, I just need them.

You may have to get an attorney to help you get them. Or may your doctor would help out, I really don't know. You do need the records for yourself, I'm sure it would give your doctors some insight into what could potentially happen.

I would be suprised if they still have them after all these years but it is worth a try you can contact the hospital and explain the circumstances and see what they say. HIPPA laws are very strict so if they do have them they might give them to your mother or maybe you if she is no longer alive but its worth a chance. Good luck.

the hospital will have the records. i cant imagine them not giving them to you. you can also find the county seat of where she lived, and they will have the records.

I believe that too many years have passed to obtain the medical records

If there is no other living relative, all you need is the death certificate or a document that proves that she is dead. You can get that from the funeral home she was buried by if there isn't one somewhere in your family's posession. Usually that isn't needed though if your doctor requests it from her doctor. Doctor to doctor offices can request any medical records concerning a patient of theirs without needing anything legal to do it. That gives you two options.

That would not be a problem they always have to keep them and for sure when you fear for cancer.

It depends on the genes, I hope you have more genes of your mother then you might not getting it, but to stay on the safe side do every year a check up fully, when your in a early stage it can be curred.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news...BUT...

Unless things have changed since my family made a demand of medical records...

Unless you are the legal guardian of the person (in this case, your grandma), you legally don't have the right to get the medical records, and even if they have them, they will not give them to you, not even if it means it could save your life.

The records are sealed and stored away.

This happened to our family after we tried to obtain medical records over my great Grandma who died as the result of what we feel was the nursing home dropping her and breaking her hip.

She died from the fall, BUT, the nursing home covered it up saying she got up out of bed and lept over the bed rails.

Hello...she was 100 and hadn't gotten up out of bed in over 10 years. She was blind and deaf and totally dependent upon the staff.

Our attorney (out of town, with no connections to the nursing home) said the same thing...unless you have power of attorney or legal guardianship, then no one can access the records.

I hope, for you, that has changed...but with HIPPA, I think it would be even harder to obtain them, IF they had them.

Call the hospital and find out. If you can't get anywhere there, then ask your doctor how you could obtain records.

I'm not sure you can still get them. I think they have to hold the medical records for 10 years (at least in California). You might just call the hospital to see if they go back that far and what you need to be able to get any records they may have.