After every medical visit, keep a personal copy of your medical records, test reports, and imaging scans

7. After every medical visit, keep a personal copy of your medical records, test reports, and imaging scans

Cost: No cost involved. Hospitals may charge a nominal fee for photocopying, but the rate must be publicly disclosed. The real challenge is remembering to make a copy after each visit.

In plain terms: You have a legal right to access and copy your own medical records. This includes outpatient records, inpatient charts, lab results, imaging scans, surgical and anesthesia notes, pathology reports, and itemized billing statements. Hospitals provide dedicated counters for this purpose, where only basic copying fees apply. These documents prove invaluable when switching doctors, seeking a second opinion, filing commercial insurance claims, or in case of any legal disputes.

Benefit: Laws explicitly recognize access to and duplication of medical records as a fundamental patient right. This entitlement covers all relevant documents such as outpatient and inpatient records, lab results, imaging scans, surgical and anesthesia notes, pathology reports, and billing statements. They serve as essential evidence when changing healthcare providers, obtaining a second medical opinion, filing insurance claims, or in any legal proceedings.

Evidence grade: A

Sources: National Health Commission of China (NHC) General Office (2024). Notice on the issuance of 6 professional medical quality control indicators (2024 version) including emergency medicine (National Health Office Medical Administration Letter [2024] No. 150) Attachment 1, indicator four "Emergency grade triage implementation rate". <https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/202405/content_6951260.htm>; Beijing Municipal Health Commission (2019). Beijing’s work plan for strengthening emergency pre-examination and triage grading and the attachment "Beijing Hospital Emergency Pre-examination and Triage Grading Standards (Trial)": "Adhere to the principle of priority for emergency and severe illness. According to the severity of the patient's condition, follow from severe to light, From the principle of rapid changes in conditions to relatively stable conditions, the order of patient visits should be reasonably arranged. "Set up an emergency pre-examination and triage area at a prominent location at the entrance of the emergency department." <http://wjw.beijing.gov.cn/zwgk_20040/ylws/201912/t20191216_1242338.html>

Notes: Hospitals maintain dedicated counters for record copying — no need to ask doctors for help. To ensure completeness, simply read aloud the list stipulated in Article 16 of the Regulations on Prevention and Handling of Medical Disputes. It includes outpatient records, inpatient charts, temperature logs, physician orders, lab results, imaging scans, surgical and anesthesia notes, pathology reports, nursing records, and billing statements. Once obtained, organize them chronologically in a dedicated folder. The most critical documents are discharge summaries, surgical reports, pathology findings, and key imaging scans. For chronic disease management, record all relevant metrics in one notebook as described in Section 16. 〔80〕 〔80〕 〔70〕 〔70〕 〔2024〕 〔30〕 〔180〕 〔40〕 〔40〕