Send records before a specialist visit
Send records before a specialist visit
Before a specialist appointment, the specialist may need records from your primary care provider, Alchemilla Hospital, Brookhaven Hospital, an outside provider, or another Silent Hill Health department. These records help the specialist understand your care history and prepare for the visit.
This article explains what records may be needed, who can send them, how to request records transfer, and when to make the request before your specialist appointment.
What records may be needed
The records needed depend on the specialty, reason for the visit, referral requirements, and whether the appointment is connected to a recent emergency visit or discharge.
A specialist may ask for:
- Referral notes or the reason for specialty care
- Primary care visit notes
- Emergency visit notes from Alchemilla Hospital
- Discharge summaries from Alchemilla Hospital or Brookhaven Hospital
- Lab results, imaging reports, or procedure results
- Medication lists or recent medication changes
- Outside provider records, if your care happened outside Silent Hill Health
Who sends records
Records may be sent by different teams depending on where the information is stored and where the specialist appointment is scheduled.
| Record source | Who may help send them |
|---|---|
| Silent Hill Health records | Your care team, referral team, medical records team, or the department managing the specialist visit. |
| Alchemilla emergency records | Alchemilla emergency follow-up staff, hospital records, referral support, or the receiving specialist department. |
| Brookhaven discharge records | Brookhaven discharge planning, behavioral health follow-up, medical records, or the receiving care team. |
| Outside provider records | The outside clinic, hospital, imaging center, lab, or medical records department that created the records. |
Request records transfer
If your specialist needs records before the visit, request the transfer as early as possible. Some records can be shared within Silent Hill Health, while others may require a medical records request or signed release.
- Sign in to your Silent Hill Health patient portal.
- Go to Referrals, Appointments & Scheduling, or Medical Records.
- Select the specialist appointment or referral connected to the records request.
- Choose Request records transfer, Send records to specialist, or the available support option.
- Enter the specialist, department, facility, and appointment date.
- List the records you want sent, such as notes, labs, imaging, discharge summaries, or medication history.
- Attach or complete any release forms if the portal asks for them.
- Submit the request for review.
If the specialist is outside Silent Hill Health, include the receiving clinic’s name, phone number, fax number, address, or preferred records delivery method if you have it.
Alchemilla emergency records
If your specialist visit is related to an Alchemilla Hospital emergency visit, the specialist may need records from that encounter before they can review your care needs.
Alchemilla-related records may include:
- Emergency department visit notes
- Discharge instructions or after-visit summaries
- Lab results collected during the emergency visit
- Imaging reports or scan results
- Medication changes or prescriptions provided at discharge
- Follow-up recommendations from the emergency care team
If your referral was created after an Alchemilla emergency visit, include the emergency visit date when requesting records transfer.
Brookhaven discharge records
If your specialist visit is related to a Brookhaven Hospital discharge, the receiving provider may need discharge records or care coordination notes before your appointment.
Brookhaven-related records may include:
- Discharge summary or after-visit instructions
- Medication list or medication changes
- Behavioral health follow-up recommendations
- Therapy, outpatient program, or case management referrals
- Safety planning or care coordination instructions, when applicable
- Records requested by the receiving behavioral health or specialty care team
Important: Some behavioral health records may require additional review or authorization before they can be shared. If you are unsure what can be released, request help from Brookhaven records support or your care team.
Outside provider records
If some of your care happened outside Silent Hill Health, the outside provider may need to send those records before your specialist appointment. Silent Hill Health may not be able to access outside records unless they are shared by the outside facility or uploaded through an approved records process.
Outside records may come from:
- An outside primary care provider
- A non-Silent Hill Health specialist
- An outside hospital or emergency department
- An imaging center
- A laboratory
- A behavioral health, therapy, or outpatient program provider
Contact the outside provider as early as possible and ask how they send records to Silent Hill Health. They may require a signed release of information before sending anything.
Timing before your appointment
Records transfer can take time, especially when records come from outside providers, older hospital visits, imaging centers, or departments that require additional release review.
| Timing | What to do |
|---|---|
| More than 2 weeks before the visit | Submit records requests, confirm what the specialist needs, and ask outside providers to send records. |
| 1 week before the visit | Check whether records were received and ask support to review anything still missing. |
| 1 to 2 days before the visit | Contact the specialist department directly if required records still have not arrived. |
| Day of the visit | Bring copies, portal access, or outside records if you have them, but do not rely on same-day transfer unless the specialist says it is acceptable. |
FAQ
Do I need to send records if my specialist is part of Silent Hill Health?
Sometimes. Some Silent Hill Health records may already be available, but certain departments may still need specific notes, imaging, discharge summaries, outside records, or referral details before your visit.
Can I upload records myself?
Some records may be uploaded through the portal if that option is available. However, certain records may need to come directly from the provider, facility, lab, or imaging center that created them.
What if the specialist says they never received my records?
Request records support and include the specialist, appointment date, records requested, and where the records should have come from. If the appointment is soon, contact the specialist department directly.
Do Brookhaven records require special handling?
They may. Some behavioral health records may require additional authorization or review before being shared. Brookhaven records support or your care team can explain what can be sent and what authorization is needed.
What if I do not know which records the specialist needs?
Contact the specialist department or submit a records support request. Include the appointment reason, referral details, and any recent visits related to the specialist appointment.
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