Learn More About Medical Records

The medical records and health records are files that are stored in the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC). The NPRC is a repository that contains medical records prior to 1992 and it contains both active duty and personnel health records. These health files in the NPRC cover details that are related to dental, outpatient and mental treatments. The records pertaining to health comprise of induction, routine health checkups consisting of visits from doctors, dental checkups and lab tests and regular physical examination when the patient is not in the hospital for treatments.

The clinical records or the hospital inpatient files or records are not stored with the health records. These records are basically sent to the NPRC (MPR) by the health facility or the hospital which prepared them. Medical records other than these will not be a part of NPRC records, these records are “Department of Veterans Affairs” medical records or medical records that are issued after 1992.

Medical Records Filing

The medical health record filing practice has been discontinued and most of the Army medical records after 1992 have been transferred to the Department of Veteran Affairs or VA. Here are some of the dates that will help us to know the grades of military personnel whose medical records have been transferred to the Department of Veteran Affairs or VA.

•    The Army personnel who are discharged, separated or retired, their medical health records were transferred to Veteran Affairs on 16th October, 1992.

•    The Air Force personnel who are discharged, separated or retired, their medical health records was transferred to Veteran Affairs on 1st May, 1994.

•    The Navy personnel who are discharged, separated or retired, their medical health records were transferred to Veteran Affairs on 31st January, 1994.

•    The Marine Corps personnel who are discharged, separated or retired, their medical health records were transferred to Veteran Affairs on 1st May, 1994.

•    The Coast Guard personnel who are discharged, separated or retired, their medical health records were transferred to Veteran Affairs on 1st April, 1998.

The dates that are mentioned above are the dates when the medical health records from NPRC were transferred to the Department of Veteran Affairs, Records management Center, which is located at St. Louis, MO, and it serves as the storehouse of active health records. You can also call at the department’s toll free phone number 1 800 827 1000 to get the specific health records and to get the copy of details. You can log on to http://www.va.gov/ or you can also visit http://www.nationalresourcedirectory.gov/ for medical records. You can visit the Department of Veteran Affairs at 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420 in person.

Medical Claims Filing

If a veteran plans to file a medical claim at the Department of Veterans Affairs for any medical benefits, it is not necessary to obtain a copy of medical record from NPRC. The main reason behind this is that all the original records were handed over by the NPRC to the VA.