Healthcare providers (such as hospitals and GPs) must keep the medical records of each of their patients. Your medical records contain all the information about your treatment. You can view your medical records online. You are also entitled to have this information updated or deleted.
Your medical records contain all the information about your treatment, such as test results and referral letters to specialists or GPs.
Retention period for medical records
Healthcare providers must keep your medical records for at least 20 years. This period applies from the latest amendment to the records. Exceptions are possible. In that case, a different retention period applies to your medical records.
There are several ways to view your medical records:
in your Persoonlijke Gezondheidsomgeving – PGO (personal healthcare environment); or
with your doctor or healthcare institution.
Your doctor or healthcare institution must grant your request within 1 month. You will only get access to information that relates to you, such as X-ray photographs and surgical reports. You also have the right to know who has consulted your records (this is known as ‘logging’).
You cannot view your records if it would result in a breach of privacy
Do your records include data relating to other people? Then it may constitute a breach of privacy if you view your records. The privacy of the other person must take precedence over your interest as a patient.
Your healthcare provider may then refuse to show you that part of your records. If this happens, your healthcare provider must explain this to you.
Is the information in your medical records incorrect? Then ask the doctor or healthcare institution to amend it.
This can only be done if the information is incorrect or incomplete, such as incorrect information on past tests or treatment.
The healthcare provider will keep the information in your medical records for 20 years. After that period, your doctor or healthcare institution will delete it.
However, you can ask a doctor or healthcare institution to delete your information sooner. If the doctor or healthcare institution agrees with your request, they must delete the information within 1 month.
Refusing a deletion request
Your doctor or healthcare institution may refuse your request in special cases. For example, this applies in the following situations:
The information in your records is of interest not only to you, but also to someone else. For example, information about hereditary diseases.
There is a retention period prescribed by law. In that case, it will be impossible to delete any data before that period elapses. For example, in the event of compulsory admission to a psychiatric hospital.
The care provider needs to defend itself in court.
Adding your own statement to your medical records
Do you disagree with a diagnosis? Then you may have a statement added to your medical records. This will contain your opinion about the diagnosis. Your doctor must include your statement in your medical records if you request this, even if the doctor does not share your opinion.
You may also have a Do Not Resuscitate order added to your medical file.
Treatment from different healthcare providers
Are you receiving treatment from different healthcare providers? If so, they only have access to the part of your records that they themselves are in charge of.
