Medical Records
A student’s health record is a collection of interactions and documentation between the student and the Student Health Center staff or clinicians. This can include appointments, phone calls, letters or Webview messages. The health record is commonly made up of important documentations such as:
- immunization and health history forms
- current medications and allergies
- a history of all prescriptions provided
- any appointment at the Student Health Center
- lab results
- X-ray results
- secure WebView messages
- special studies (spirometry, EKG, etc.)
- letters created on your behalf
- a copy of the Insurance Card(s) we have on file for you
Can I see my Medical Records?
The easiest way to get most of your records is through MyWesternHealth, either through messages from your provider or under “Patient Review”. It is important to remember that MyWesternHealth does not provide access to your entire health record.
You may review your own health record at any time. To review your record, come in to the Student Health Center and meet with a nurse who can help explain your record to you.
How Do I Get Copies of My Medical Records?
To request access or obtain a copy of your records, you may submit an Authorization for Release of Health Records. A written request from you, the patient, is also required to:
- Release information from your medical record to yourself or another provider or facility.
- Request that records from a provider or facility be provided to the Student Health Center.
There is no charge for copying health records to be released to the patient or to the patient's medical provider for as long as the medical records exist (medical records are kept for 10 years and then destroyed). You can expect your records to be sent to the requesting clinic within 3 business days.
The medical director or their designee reviews and approves all requests for medical records prior to the release of copies of those records. No medical information is released to anyone outside of the Student Health Center without written and/or verbal authorization from the patient except under those circumstances as defined by RCW 70.02.050.
A patient 18 years of age and older is legally an adult and medical and related billing information will not be released to a parent without written consent of the patient.
Medical Records that Cannot be Released
The Student Health Center cannot release records that have been received by us from another facility or health care provider. This includes:
- Medical specialists or surgeons
- The Counseling Center at Western Washington University
- Alcohol or other drug assessments/treatments
- Hospital or ER visits
Please contact these facilities directly for release of those records. State and federal laws prohibit us from making any further disclosure without specific written consent of the patient.
Your Personal Health Records
It is a good idea to maintain personal medical records to quickly access health information when necessary. For more information, please see: Patient Access Information for Individuals: Get it, Check it, Use it!
Your Confidential Information
Maintaining confidentiality is the professional, legal and ethical duty of the Western Washington University Student Health Center as a health care provider and is incumbent on each and every member of its staff. All Student Health Center staff will protect the privacy of any client/patient information regardless of how it is acquired, collected, stored, processed, generated, retrieved, or transmitted in the Student Health Center. The Student Health Center is obligated and committed to establish the right balance between the need for access to information needed to perform one's job and the right to privacy and confidentiality of the patient/client. All Student Health Center staff will follow Washington State Law, the Student Health Center’s Policy & Procedure on Confidentiality and Western Washington University's Campus Policies.