Confirm the practical details first
Families transfer pediatric care for many reasons: a move, insurance change, new medical needs, or simply the search for a better fit. Before requesting records, confirm that the new practice is accepting patients in your child’s age group and that you understand its insurance, hospital, after-hours, vaccine, and scheduling policies.
Sapphire requires previous medical records before scheduling a new-patient or well-check appointment for an incoming patient who is not a newborn. Follow the practice’s transfer process rather than assuming an online registration form completes the transfer.
Request a complete record early
Contact the previous practice and complete its authorization or release process. Under HIPAA, individuals generally have a right to access copies of health information and may direct a covered entity to send an electronic copy of protected health information in an electronic health record to a designated third party. A provider may also share information with another provider for treatment, subject to applicable rules and safeguards.
Ask for more than the last visit note. A useful pediatric record may include growth charts, immunization history, problem and medication lists, allergies, newborn or birth history when relevant, laboratory and imaging reports, hospital and emergency records, specialist notes, behavioral or developmental evaluations, and school or therapy information held by the medical practice.
Records can take time to process. Submit the request before your child needs a routine visit, medication renewal, sports form, or school documentation. Keep a copy of the request and confirm where the records should be sent. Do not email sensitive medical information to a general administrative address unless the practice has specifically instructed you to use a secure method.
Prepare your own one-page summary
Even a complete chart can be long. Bring a short, current summary with diagnoses, surgeries, hospitalizations, allergies and reactions, medications and doses, specialists, preferred pharmacy, school supports, and the main goals for the new relationship. Include family history that may affect care.
If a medication cannot safely be interrupted, discuss the transfer before the current supply runs low. A new clinician may need records and an evaluation before prescribing, especially for controlled medications or treatment that requires monitoring.
Use the first visit to connect the story
At the first appointment, explain why you transferred and what worked well—or did not—in prior care. Ask how the new office handles same-day illness, after-hours concerns, MyChart, referrals, forms, refills, and confidential teen care. Review any pending tests, referrals, follow-up, or vaccines so important work is not lost between practices.
Transferring care is not only moving a file. It is rebuilding context. Starting early and bringing a clear summary helps the new pediatric team understand the child behind the record.
