Medical records: what to collect before and after treatment

Which medical records an international patient should gather before contacting an Indian hospital, how to organise them and what to bring home afterwards.

Glossary term · Tests & reports

By Nikhil Sharma, Founder · Updated · How we write and check

Definition

Medical records (also: Health records, Case file, Medical history): Medical records are the documents and files that describe a person’s health history, test results, diagnoses and treatment.

Medical records are the documents that describe your health, tests and treatment. Good records are the basis of any opinion from India. The US National Cancer Institute describes a medical history as information about allergies, illnesses, surgeries, immunisations and medicines. The US CDC advises patients treated abroad to get copies of their overseas records in English and share them at home.

What should I gather before a case review?

  • A short summary letter from your doctor with the diagnosis.
  • Recent blood test results with dates and units.
  • Imaging reports plus the original images as DICOM files.
  • Pathology or biopsy reports, for cancer cases.
  • Previous operation notes and discharge summaries.
  • A full list of medicines, allergies and other conditions.

How should I organise them?

Put the newest first and label each file with the date and test name. Scan to PDF rather than sending phone photos at an angle. Remove pages that are not relevant only if you are sure.

What should I bring home from India?

  • The discharge summary and operation notes.
  • Implant or device details, where used.
  • Copies of key scans and test results.
  • The medicines list with generic names.
  • The follow-up plan.

Your data, your consent

IndiaMedica shares your records only with hospitals you agree to, for your case review. Ask any service how it stores and shares your health data.

Questions people ask

Do my records need to be translated into English?

Ask the hospital which languages its specialists can read. If your reports are in another language, ask whether a translation is needed. Images in DICOM format do not need translation, but their written reports do.

How recent should my reports be?

It depends on the condition and test. A specialist may accept older imaging for background but ask for fresh blood tests. Ask what is needed before you pay for new tests at home.

Sources

General information, not medical or legal advice. Rules change: confirm with the official source. Your treating specialist decides on suitability, treatment and length of stay. How we write and check.

More glossary

Biopsy

A biopsy is the removal of a small piece of tissue so that it can be examined in a laboratory.

Blood group and cross-match

Blood grouping identifies a person’s ABO group and Rh factor; cross-matching tests donor blood against the patient’s blood before transfusion.

Complete blood count (CBC)

A complete blood count is a blood test that measures red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, haemoglobin and haematocrit.

Coronary angiography

Coronary angiography is a procedure that uses contrast dye and X-rays, delivered through a thin catheter, to show blood flow in the heart’s arteries.

CT scan

A CT scan is an imaging test that uses X-ray equipment and a computer to create cross-sectional pictures of the inside of the body.

DICOM images

DICOM is the international standard for medical images and related information, used by X-ray, CT, MRI and ultrasound equipment.

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