GENERAL GUIDELINES
As noted in our generic instructions for ordering neurological records from any institution, the brain bank:
- now requires that records be at the brain bank prior to the passing of the intended brain donor
- neurological records ONLY are needed. No primary care physician records or hospice records. In the cases of Parkinson’s Disease, only the most recent 6-8 years of records are needed.
- it is always easiest to download neurological records via the online patient portal. If you don’t have access to the online patient portal, records must be ordered from the medical records office or clinic. Records can be sent from medical records offices or clinics directly to the brain bank. One advantage of this approach is that there may be no fee to the family. One disadvantage of this approach is that the family has no real way to confirm that records have been sent.
- ideally, records should be sent to the brain bank by email or posted to the cloud for the brain bank to download. Second choice is by fax. Third choice is by mail with tracking. Last choice is by mail with no tracking.
- ordering records and following up with the medical records offices or clinics is the family’s responsibility
JOHNS HOPKINS INFORMATION
These suggestions are derived from speaking with staff from the medical records office and viewing helpful webpages, including:
1. Download records through MyChart online patient portal.
Step-by-step instructions, including downloadable instructions with screen shots, are available at:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/patient_care/mychart/index.html#download
Downloaded records may be submitted to Mayo Clinic by:
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Secure email to Dennis Dickson, MD, ℅ the Brain Bank Coordinator, Rachel LaPaille-Harwood, at LaPaille-Harwood.Rachel@mayo.
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Post to the cloud (Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, or other online file sharing service). Then email link to file(s) to the Brain Bank Coordinator, Rachel LaPaille-Harwood, at LaPaille-Harwood.Rachel@mayo.
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Fax to 904-953-7117 (Attn: Dennis Dickson, MD)
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US Mail to Dennis Dickson, MD, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Birdsall 310, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL 32224-1865 (phone 904-953-2439)
2. If you do not have access to MyChart, or prefer the paper route, you can complete the “Requests by Patient or Patient Representative for Copy of Health Information” form.
Unsigned or incomplete authorization forms will not be processed. Please provide as much information as possible on the form, such as:
-> Send My Health Information to – Dennis Dickson, MD, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Birdsall 310, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL 32224-1865 (phone 904-953-2439, fax 904-953-7117)
-> For this request “My Health Information” means – Check any boxes that may apply. (Note: Mayo will want any reports from scans, images, or testing but does not need the actual images themselves.) You may check the box for “Other” and add “All neurologically-related reports”.
-> For the date(s) of service from/to – If you do not recall specific dates, use a broad date range to capture all the visits/appointments (i.e. MM/YY to MM/YY).
On the From line, include the name of Johns Hopkins health care provider.
-> I request that the copy be provided (where possible/available) – check “by e-mail to this email address: ” and enter [email protected], as this is the preferred delivery method. However, secure email delivery has size limitations. If there are many records, fax is the next preferred method.
-> Please check if you wish to authorize the release of sensitive medical information – If a psychiatrist or psychologist was seen, please check the box for Mental Health/Psychiatric Treatment. (Note: Psychotherapy notes will not be released unless this box is checked.)
It is best if the intended donor signs the form. If the intended donor is not able to sign the form, the medical power-of-attorney should sign his/her name and include the medical power-of-attorney document when returning the form.
Submit the completed form by fax, mail, or in person to the Health Information Management (HIM) office at the facility where medical services were provided. This information can be found under, “Step 2: Submit the Form,” at:
If you are requesting medical records from a Johns Hopkins facility other than those listed on this page, call the facility directly to learn where to submit your request.
Make a note of the phone number for the HIM office where you submit the form. We recommend a call to the HIM office three to five business days after submitting the form. Inquire when the records were sent (or will be sent) and confirm the delivery method – whether by secure email, fax or mail. Documenting the date and method of delivery will be of great help for a later step in these instructions.
The law generally allows 21-30 days to process requests for copies of medical records, but Johns Hopkins typically doesn’t take that long. Copy requests related to direct patient care, such as a scheduled doctor appointment, get priority.
If you are picking up records in person, you will need photo ID. Only the patient or patient representative may pick up a copy of the record, unless otherwise indicated in writing by the patient or patient representative.