List of Forms and Contact Details Required to Request Medical Records From Boston Children's Hospital (2026)
Requesting medical records from Boston Children's Hospital takes the right authorization form, correct contact information, and careful attention to HIPAA requirements. If you're an attorney building a personal injury case, incomplete authorizations are a leading preventable cause of denied requests. Missing patient signatures, unclear expiration dates, or uninitialed sensitive-information categories can cause a request to be rejected or returned for correction, delaying retrieval. Codes Health offers AI-powered retrieval that catches these errors before submission, automatically flagging misspellings, missing dates of service, and signature issues that would otherwise cause provider rejections.
Key Takeaways
Boston Children's states that records are generally produced in approximately 10 business days after authorization is received. Separately, HIPAA generally requires action on qualifying patient access requests within 30 calendar days, with one permitted 30-day extension.
The standard authorization form asks the patient or representative to initial the sensitive-information categories they agree to have released, when that information is in the record.
The main Health Information Management (HIM) line for medical records is (617) 355-7546.
Radiology images use a separate authorization form and a different fax number than standard medical records.
The MyChildren's portal may not display the complete record, so litigation teams usually need a formal request.
Codes Health validates authorizations before submission and reports an average turnaround of a couple of weeks for complete records, with timing varying by provider responsiveness and request complexity.
Understanding Medical Records Request Forms and Your Rights
What is a Medical Records Release Form?
A medical records release form, also called an authorization for release of medical information, is the document that permits a healthcare provider to share protected health information with a designated recipient. HIPAA permits some disclosures without authorization, such as certain treatment, payment, healthcare operations, legally required, and judicial disclosures. But for a voluntary third-party request from an attorney that isn't otherwise permitted by HIPAA, Boston Children's generally needs a valid patient authorization or other lawful authority.
Boston Children's uses a two-page authorization form (Form 03038 Rev 4/18). Complete all fields that apply to your request. The form is available as an English version and a Spanish version.
Why is a HIPAA Release Form Necessary?
The HIPAA Privacy Rule sets national standards for protecting individually identifiable health information. A covered entity like Boston Children's generally needs a written authorization when a disclosure isn't otherwise permitted or required by the Privacy Rule, which covers most attorney requests made on a client's behalf.
For legal matters, a signed authorization documents the patient's permission to share specific records with the named recipient.
Key Elements of a Valid Medical Records Release Form
Boston Children's authorization form asks for:
Patient Demographics:
Full legal name (Last, First, Middle Initial)
Complete home address
Boston Children's Medical Record Number (if known)
Date of birth
Contact phone numbers and email
Release Authorization:
Recipient name and facility
Complete mailing address, phone, and fax
Purpose of release (Medical Care, School/Camp, Insurance, Personal, Legal Matter, or Other)
Information Requested:
Entire Medical Record with date range
Medical Record Abstract (History & Physical, Operative Report, Consults, Test Reports, Discharge Summary)
Pathology Materials with specific surgery dates
Other specified records
Sensitive Information Authorizations:
The form asks you to initial each sensitive category you agree to have released, if that information is in the patient's record:
HIV test results (with specific dates)
Genetic screening test results
Alcohol and drug abuse treatment records (protected under 42 CFR Part 2)
Mental health diagnosis and treatment
Confidential communications with licensed social workers
Sexually transmitted disease information
Hepatitis diagnosis and treatment
Pregnancy information
Abuse, neglect, domestic violence, and sexual assault counseling information
The form also separately addresses psychotherapy notes, which HIPAA treats differently from ordinary mental health records.
Signature Requirements:
Authorizations expire 12 months from the signature date unless you specify a different expiration. For patients under 18, a parent or legal guardian signs. The form states that information won't be released without a valid signature.
Directing Your Request: Contacting Boston Children's Hospital for Records
Finding the Correct Department for Record Requests
Boston Children's has a dedicated Health Information Management department for medical records requests. The medical records office is off-site and doesn't accommodate walk-ins.
Main Medical Records Contact:
Phone: (617) 355-7546
Fax: (617) 730-0327 or (617) 730-0329
Email: HIM-ROIStaff-dl@childrens.harvard.edu
Mailing Address: Attn: Medical Records, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Other Department Contacts
For Radiology and Imaging Records:
Fax: (617) 730-0538 (Department of Radiology Image Service Center), using the radiology authorization form
For Demographic Changes (Name, Date of Birth, or Sex):
Phone: (617) 355-7544
Fax: (617) 730-4675
What Information to Prepare Before Contacting
Before starting your request, gather:
Patient's full legal name and any aliases or prior names
Date of birth
Medical record number (if known)
Specific dates of service or admission dates
Identification or proof of authority when Boston Children's requires it for the request
Documentation of legal authority for guardians or other representatives
Submitting Your Medical Records Request to Boston Children's Hospital
Step-by-Step Guide for Online Submission
Boston Children's offers an electronic authorization option for patients, parents, legal guardians, and authorized representatives, linked from its medical records page. Healthcare professionals can use a separate paperless portal that uses email authentication instead of a login.
Required Documentation for Mail and Fax Requests
When submitting by mail or fax, include:
The completed authorization form (both pages)
Identification or proof of authority when required for the request
Legal documentation if the signer is a guardian or other representative
Specific date ranges for the records needed
Send standard requests to (617) 730-0327 or (617) 730-0329, and keep your fax confirmation page for tracking.
Avoiding Delays: Common Submission Errors
Requests are commonly rejected or returned for:
Missing signature or date on the authorization
Expired authorization (over 12 months old)
Needed sensitive-information categories not initialed
Inadequate patient identifiers for common names
Missing identification or proof of authority when required
Wrong recipient address or incomplete mailing information
Codes Health uses AI-assisted validation to review requests before submission, checking authorizations, date ranges, and provider-specific requirements to catch these issues before they cause rejections.
Accessing Your Child's Medical Records Online: MyChart and Other Portals
Setting Up MyChart Access for Your Child's Records
Boston Children's uses the MyChildren's patient portal, powered by Epic MyChart. Parents of patients under 18 and patients 13 and older can access the portal, and the mobile app is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, and Simplified Chinese.
What Information Can You View Instantly?
Through MyChildren's, authorized users can:
View health records and latest test results
Request school and camp forms
Send messages to the care team
Share health records with family members
Renew prescriptions and schedule appointments
Pay bills and update insurance information
Limitations of Online Portals for Comprehensive Records
MyChildren's terms of use note that not all medical information may be accessible through the portal. If the records you need aren't available there, submit a formal medical record request using Boston Children's current electronic or paper options.
Psychotherapy notes are excluded from the standard HIPAA right of access. Firms that need certified or authenticated records should request the appropriate form of records for their proceeding rather than relying on portal downloads.
Navigating Requests for Old Medical Records from Boston Children's Hospital
Specific Procedures for Archived Records
Older records may not appear in the patient portal. Submit a formal request through the electronic option or the standard authorization form, specifying the exact date ranges needed.
Potential Challenges in Retrieving Very Old Records
Massachusetts law requires hospitals to keep records for set retention periods, and older records may be stored off-site, so the hospital's 10-business-day estimate may run longer. HIPAA's 30-day access timeline still applies to qualifying patient requests for archived records.
Best Practices for Requesting Historical Data
When requesting older records:
Include all available patient identifiers (medical record number, parent names for pediatric patients, and any other identifiers the form requests)
Specify exact date ranges rather than requesting "complete records"
Allow extra processing time for archived materials
Consider using Codes Health, which uses provider and facility data to identify where records may exist, especially useful for long medical histories or incomplete client recollection
Ensuring Completeness: What to Expect After Your Request
Typical Turnaround Times for Medical Record Requests
Boston Children's states that records are generally produced in approximately 10 business days after authorization is received. Separately, HIPAA generally requires action on a qualifying individual access request within 30 calendar days, with one permitted 30-day extension with written notice. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 111, §70 has its own 30-day requirement, but it applies specifically to records requested to support Social Security or needs-based benefit claims and appeals.
Suggested follow-up timeline:
Day 7: Call (617) 355-7546 to confirm receipt
Day 10: Expected completion for standard requests
Day 15: Call HIM again if records haven't arrived
Day 20: Send a written status inquiry referencing the authorization date
Understanding Fees and Costs Associated with Copies
For Personal Requests:
Boston Children's currently states that copies requested for personal reasons are charged $6.50
For Healthcare Providers (Continuing Care):
No charge
For Attorneys and Insurers:
Contact HIM at (617) 355-7546 to confirm the current fee schedule
Pricing is based on page count under Massachusetts regulations
Massachusetts Hospital Fee Schedule (2024 Published Figures):
The 2024 published schedule set the following rates. Massachusetts permits annual CPI adjustments, so confirm the current figures before relying on them.
Base/Search Fee: $28.69
Pages 1 to 100: $0.96 per page
Pages 101 and up: $0.49 per page
How to Verify All Requested Records Have Been Provided
When records arrive, check right away that:
All requested date ranges are covered
All specified record types are included
Pages are legible and complete
The correct patient name appears throughout
There are no duplicate or missing pages
Codes Health checks delivered records against the original request before closing the retrieval. When records look incomplete, the service works with the facility to resolve the gaps before returning the completed set.
HIPAA Compliance: Protecting Your Child's Protected Health Information
Key Principles of the HIPAA Privacy Rule
The HIPAA Privacy Rule requires covered entities to protect patient health information while giving individuals rights to access their own records. Key patient rights include:
Access to your own or your child's medical records
Requesting corrections to inaccurate records
Requesting an accounting of disclosures
Requesting confidential communications
Filing complaints about privacy violations
Revoking an authorization in writing (except where the hospital has already acted on it)
How Boston Children's Hospital Protects PHI
Boston Children's maintains HIPAA compliance through:
Written authorization requirements for disclosures not otherwise permitted
A minimum necessary standard limiting shared information
Audit trails tracking record disclosures
Secure transmission methods for electronic records
Staff training on privacy requirements
Your Rights Under HIPAA Regarding Access and Amendments
Under Boston Children's Notice of Privacy Practices, you can ask Health Information Management to correct or amend health information you believe is incorrect or incomplete, and any denial will be explained in writing within 60 days. Changes to demographic details such as name, date of birth, or sex go through a separate process using the demographic change form and the (617) 730-4675 fax.
Codes Health operates as a HIPAA-compliant platform for handling protected health information, securing the retrieval, processing, analysis, and storage of medical records for legal clients.
Why PI Firms Use Codes Health for Boston Children's Retrieval
Pediatric injury cases rarely stop at Boston Children's: records are often spread across EMS transport, primary care, physical therapy clinics, mental health counselors, and school-based providers, each with its own forms and follow-up. Codes Health pulls all of it into one workflow:
AI validation before submission that catches signature, date, and sensitive-category errors before Boston Children's or any other provider sees them
Multi-channel follow-up across calls, faxes, emails, and portals until records arrive
Completeness verification against the original request before delivery
Flat fee pricing with chronologies and analysis included
Filevine integration following the July 13, 2026 Filevine partnership, so requests, status, and records stay in your case file
Custom integrations with CRM platforms and other medical software for high-volume firms
Be careful with vendors promising same-day turnaround. Codes Health notes that competitors offering same-day retrieval often return only the records immediately available, leaving clients involved in tracking down the rest, which in its experience leads to client churn. Codes Health focuses on complete records in weeks, not months.
On general AI tools: General AI platforms like ChatGPT are not designed for litigation-grade medical record review. They can't validate provider-specific authorization requirements or confirm a record set is complete. Codes Health's platform is purpose-built to analyze medical records with high precision, pairing AI extraction with human verification by medical, legal, and operational specialists.
Codes Health's MIT-educated engineering team continuously builds out additional workflows and products, so the platform keeps evolving, improving, and becoming more comprehensive to meet the changing demands of modern legal practices.
Bottom Line
Most Boston Children's retrieval delays come from preventable failure points: an authorization missing a signature or date, sensitive categories left uninitialed, radiology requested on the wrong form or fax line, and portal downloads mistaken for the complete record. Getting the paperwork right up front and checking completeness on arrival solves most of them. Codes Health handles both automatically for every provider in a pediatric case, with results that vary by provider responsiveness and request complexity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I request my child's medical records if they are over 18 years old?
Once a patient turns 18, they generally control their own medical records under HIPAA, and parents no longer have automatic access. The adult patient signs the authorization, or you'll need legal documentation, such as a healthcare power of attorney or guardianship, showing authority to act on their behalf.
What should I do if I believe my child's medical records are incomplete or incorrect?
To correct or amend health information, contact Health Information Management under Boston Children's Notice of Privacy Practices. The hospital will explain any denial in writing within 60 days. For demographic changes like name, date of birth, or sex, use the separate demographic change form and fax it to (617) 730-4675.
How does Boston Children's Hospital handle records for deceased patients?
For deceased patients, the executor or administrator of the estate generally signs the authorization, with documentation such as letters testamentary or letters of administration. A death certificate may also be required. Call HIM at (617) 355-7546 to confirm the documentation needed for your request.
Are there additional fees for receiving records on CD or in electronic format?
Boston Children's currently states that copies requested for personal reasons cost $6.50. For attorneys and insurers, fees are based on page count under Massachusetts regulations, so confirm current pricing with HIM at (617) 355-7546. Radiology images on CD may carry separate charges.
Is it possible to track the status of my medical record request online?
Boston Children's doesn't advertise public online tracking for standard authorization requests. Call (617) 355-7546 around business day seven to confirm receipt, then follow up again if records haven't arrived by day 15. For firms that need real-time visibility across multiple provider requests, Codes Health provides a centralized dashboard tracking all retrieval activity and provider communications.
