List of Forms and Contact Details Required to Request Medical Records in Detroit (PI Lawyers' Checklist) (2026 Update)
Detroit personal injury attorneys know that medical records form the backbone of every case, yet obtaining them from the city's major hospital systems often stretches into months of follow-ups and frustration. This checklist focuses on three major Detroit-area systems, Henry Ford Health, Detroit Medical Center, and Corewell Health, and provides the authorization forms, contact information, fee schedule, and procedures you need. For firms looking to cut retrieval time from months to weeks, platforms like Codes Health automate daily provider follow-ups and catch authorization errors before submission.
Key Takeaways
This checklist covers three major Detroit-area systems (Henry Ford, DMC, and Corewell), each with system-specific authorization forms and its own records contacts.
Under Michigan's Medical Records Access Act, providers generally must act within 30 days for records maintained or accessible on-site, up to 60 days if records are not on-site, with a possible written extension of up to 30 additional days.
Turnaround varies by system: DMC says on-site records average 5 to 7 business days and off-site 2 to 4 weeks, while Henry Ford says processing can take up to 30 business days.
Sensitive categories such as mental health, substance use disorder, and HIV/AIDS information may require special authorization language depending on the record type, provider form, and purpose.
Codes Health has found that incomplete authorizations are a leading cause of denied requests: missing signatures, unclear expiration dates, or unchecked sensitive-record boxes can delay your timeline.
Codes Health's AI platform delivers organized records in weeks, not months, with automated error prevention and real-time status tracking.
Understanding Michigan's Medical Records Request Framework
Michigan operates under both federal HIPAA regulations and the state Medical Records Access Act (MRAA), which set the timelines and fees for record requests.
Under the Michigan MRAA, a provider generally must act within 30 days after receiving a signed, dated request for records maintained or accessible on-site. If records are not maintained or accessible on-site, the Act allows up to 60 days, with a possible written extension of up to 30 additional days. This works alongside the federal HIPAA access timeline of 30 calendar days.
A few Michigan points worth keeping in mind:
Patients have the right to inspect and obtain copies of their records, subject to the MRAA process.
The written request must be signed and dated not more than 60 days before submission.
Sensitive record categories carry additional authorization requirements (covered below).
The reality check: even with these legal requirements, manual processes can stretch well beyond the statutory window when provider delays, authorization defects, and inconsistent follow-up compound. This is where Codes Health helps: its AI-powered platform delivers records in weeks, not months, through proactive error checking and automated daily provider follow-ups.
Essential HIPAA-Compliant Forms for Releasing Medical Records in Michigan
Every medical records request requires a properly executed authorization form, and Michigan adds requirements for certain sensitive record types.
Standard Authorization Requirements
Each Detroit hospital system maintains its own authorization form, which should be used for fastest processing:
Henry Ford Health:
Form: Authorization to Access or Release Medical Information, Form # e-HFHS-618-1221 (Henry Ford records)
Key requirements: Check boxes for specific record types; mental health, substance use disorder, and HIV records require explicit selections. The form states the authorization expires when the information is disclosed or within one year from the date signed, unless another expiration date, event, or condition is written (no longer than one year).
Detroit Medical Center:
Form: DMC Authorization to Release Medical Information (DMC records)
Key requirements: Include patient identity, records requested, purpose, recipient, expiration if desired, signature, representative documentation, and the date of signature. Attach a copy of valid photo ID. Michigan's MRAA requires the request to be signed and dated not more than 60 days before submission.
Corewell Health:
Form: Release Authorization Form (Corewell records)
Key requirements: Complete patient demographics, specify the releasing facility, indicate the recipient and delivery preference, and include an expiration date.
Michigan-Specific Sensitive Records Requirements
Certain categories may require special authorization language or separate consent depending on the record type, provider form, and purpose.
Mental health records under MCL 330.1748: Michigan mental-health records are confidential and may be disclosed only under statutory conditions. For attorney record requests, use authorization language that specifically identifies the mental-health information to be released, and verify the provider's required form.
Substance use disorder records under 42 CFR Part 2: Part 2 is stricter than HIPAA and requires consent with specific elements, including identification of the Part 2 program and a prohibition-of-redisclosure notice. Certain legal-proceeding disclosures cannot be combined with consent for other uses or disclosures.
HIV/AIDS information: DMC states that psychiatric, drug, and alcohol abuse, HIV/AIDS, and sexual abuse information requires a special authorization that specifically refers to the information to be released.
Common rejection reason: Codes Health has found that incomplete authorizations are a leading cause of denied requests. Missing patient signatures, unclear expiration dates, or unchecked boxes for sensitive records can make an authorization defective and delay the response. Codes Health uses AI to review requests before submission, flagging misspellings, missing dates of service, and signature issues that would otherwise cause provider rejections.
Complete Detroit Hospital Contact Directory
This directory focuses on the three major Detroit-area systems. Verify details directly with each facility before sending, since contacts and hours change.
Henry Ford Health System
Henry Ford operates multiple hospitals with centralized processing through a single Health Information Management office.
Central Medical Records Department:
Phone: (313) 916-4540
Fax: (313) 916-3917
Email: HFHSMedicalRecords@HFHS.org
Mailing Address: 1414 E. Maple Road, Troy, MI 48083
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Processing Time: Henry Ford states that processing can take up to 30 business days, and fees may apply
Facilities served: Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit (2799 W Grand Boulevard), Henry Ford Behavioral Health Hospital (7100 Berryhill Street, West Bloomfield), and all Henry Ford system locations.
Attorney notes: Electronic signatures are accepted with attestation (name, date, time). Former Ascension hospitals now under Henry Ford use a separate contact: (800) 367-1500.
Detroit Medical Center (DMC)
DMC instructs requesters to complete the DMC Authorization to Release Medical Information and mail or fax it to the Medical Records department of the hospital where care was provided. Address envelopes "Attn: Medical Records." DMC does not centralize all requests through a single office, so route to the correct facility.
Shared fax for multiple facilities: (313) 745-3500
Facility offices:
Detroit Receiving Hospital (4201 St. Antoine Street), Michigan's busiest Level I Trauma Center: (313) 745-2900
Harper University Hospital and Hutzel Women's Hospital: (313) 745-8022
Children's Hospital of Michigan: (313) 745-8022
Sinai-Grace Hospital (6071 W. Outer Drive): (313) 966-4166
Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan: (313) 745-9831
Submission requirements: Complete all sections, including patient info, dates of service, record types, recipient, and purpose. Include a copy of a valid photo ID. DMC says on-site records average 5 to 7 business days and off-site records 2 to 4 weeks.
Corewell Health Southeast Michigan
Corewell Health (formerly Beaumont) lists multiple Southeast Michigan hospital records contacts, each with its own Health Information Management department.
System-wide contact:
Main Medical Records/Billing: (833) 261-4563
MyChart Support: (877) 308-5083
Imaging Email (all facilities): chereleaseofimages@corewellhealth.org
Facilities listed by Corewell: Grosse Pointe, Troy, Dearborn, Farmington Hills, Taylor, Trenton, Wayne, and William Beaumont University Hospital in Royal Oak. Selected facility contacts:
William Beaumont University Hospital, Royal Oak (3601 W 13 Mile Rd): HIM Phone (248) 898-7400; HIM Fax (248) 898-7432; Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Grosse Pointe (468 Cadieux Rd): HIM Phone (313) 473-1625; HIM Fax (313) 473-1186; Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Troy (44201 Dequindre Rd): HIM Phone (248) 964-3924; HIM Fax (248) 964-8640; Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Dearborn (18101 Oakwood Blvd): HIM Phone (313) 593-7780; HIM Fax (313) 593-8437; Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Farmington Hills (28050 Grand River Ave): HIM Phone (248) 471-8185; HIM Fax (248) 471-8508; Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Taylor (10000 Telegraph Rd): HIM Phone (313) 295-5122; HIM Fax (313) 375-7057; limited hours, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday only, 8:00 AM to noon and 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Trenton: See Corewell's medical records page for the current facility contact
Wayne (33155 Annapolis St): Corewell says there are no on-site HIM team members at Wayne; pick-up is available at Dearborn, Trenton, or Taylor
Michigan Medical Records Fee Schedule (2026)
Michigan's MRAA fee maximums are set by MDHHS and adjusted annually. For 2026, the maximums are:
Initial fee: $32.08
Pages 1 to 20: $1.60 per page
Pages 21 to 50: $0.80 per page
Pages 51 and up: $0.32 per page
MDHHS notes that a patient is not charged the initial fee for the patient's own record, though other permitted fees may apply. These maximums apply to attorney and authorized-representative requests.
Electronic Delivery
Electronic delivery can reduce per-page paper-copy costs. Under HIPAA's access rule (45 CFR 164.524), patient-access fees must be reasonable and cost-based and may include only specified components such as copying labor, supplies for electronic media if requested, postage, and agreed-upon summaries or explanations. Actual fees vary by provider and request type.
Cost Examples (Maximum Paper-Copy, Initial Fee Applies)
15 pages (minor ER): about $56.08
75 pages (hospitalization): about $96.08
250 pages (severe injury): about $152.08
1,500 pages (complex): about $552.08
These figures assume the initial fee applies, plus any permitted postage, shipping, or other allowed charges.
No-fee situations include:
Records sent between healthcare providers for continuing care
A patient's own record where MDHHS rules waive the initial fee
Patient portal access for clients
Cost management: Request electronic format where available and include prepayment to avoid processing delays. For high-volume practices, Codes Health's flat-fee structure provides cost predictability.
Speeding Up Medical Record Retrieval: Submission Methods That Work
The submission method you choose directly affects your retrieval timeline, with electronic options consistently outperforming traditional mail.
Submission Methods (In Order of Preference)
Provider online portals (fastest): Henry Ford MyChart (mychart.hfhs.org) and Corewell MyChart (mychart.corewellhealth.org). Patients may be able to access or download records through their portal; law firms should still rely on a properly executed authorization and follow each provider's approved release process.
Email (when available): Henry Ford (HFHSMedicalRecords@HFHS.org) and Corewell imaging (chereleaseofimages@corewellhealth.org). Use encrypted email for PHI security.
Fax: Henry Ford (313) 916-3917; DMC shared fax (313) 745-3500. Retain the fax confirmation page.
Certified mail: Use the addresses listed above and mark envelopes "Attention: Medical Records" or "Attention: HIM." Send certified with return receipt for deadline documentation.
Speed vs. Completeness
Codes Health's position is that speed claims alone can be misleading. Services advertising same-day or 48-hour retrieval often rely on limited-access sources, may not obtain complete records, and can require additional client involvement, which creates friction and contributes to churn. Codes Health instead focuses on complete, organized legal-record retrieval in weeks, not months. By automating provider follow-ups and pursuing comprehensive collection from the start, you avoid the back-and-forth of chasing missing documents later.
Follow-Up Schedule
Days 3 to 5: Confirm receipt if there is no acknowledgment
Day 10: Status check call to the HIM department
Day 15: Escalate to the HIM supervisor if no progress
Day 20: Send a written follow-up referencing the HIPAA 30-day timeline
Day 30+: Consider a formal request to the facility's patient representative
The automation advantage: Managing dozens of simultaneous provider follow-ups while carrying a full caseload leads to dropped balls and missed deadlines. Codes Health maintains daily provider follow-ups automatically, escalates based on response patterns, and alerts you only when intervention is needed.
Organizing Medical Records for Detroit Accident Cases
Receiving records is only halfway to your goal; systematic organization strengthens settlement demands and trial preparation.
Quality Control Checklist (Complete Within 24 Hours)
Verify completeness:
All requested date ranges covered without gaps
All record types included (treatment notes, billing, imaging, and labs)
Imaging CDs are physically enclosed, not just radiology reports
Records legible and complete, with no cutoff pages
Identify common omissions:
Emergency department records are separate from inpatient records
Laboratory results
Medication administration records
Physical therapy and rehabilitation notes
Request missing records by submitting a supplemental authorization that specifies the exact missing components. For example, "Radiology reports from 1/15/2024 ER visit" gets faster results than re-requesting a "complete record."
Organization for Maximum Impact
Build a chronological medical timeline that plots all treatment dates, links each treatment to the incident date, and shows any gaps. Pair it with a damages spreadsheet that line-items every medical expense, subtotals by provider and category, and separates future anticipated expenses.
AI-Powered Analysis: Why the Platform Matters
General-purpose AI platforms are not reliable substitutes for a medical-record analysis system built for legal workflows. Codes Health's AI platform is designed to analyze medical records with high precision, automatically creating chronological timelines and provider summaries and identifying missing records that strengthen your negotiating position.
Codes Health's MIT-educated engineering team keeps building out new workflows and products, so the platform constantly evolves and grows more comprehensive to meet the changing demands of law firms handling PI, mass tort, malpractice, disability, insurance, workers' compensation, and wrongful death matters. That ongoing development means your firm benefits from improvements without additional implementation costs.
Maintaining HIPAA Compliance When Handling PHI
Protecting client medical information is both an ethical and a legal obligation under federal and Michigan law.
Best Practices for Detroit PI Firms
Secure storage: use encrypted digital storage for all medical records, keep physical records in locked, access-controlled areas, and implement role-based access, limiting who can view PHI.
Transmission security: use encrypted email when transmitting records, verify fax numbers before sending PHI, and avoid unencrypted email attachments containing medical information.
Retention and destruction: follow your applicable record-retention obligations, implement secure destruction protocols for records no longer needed, and document destruction in compliance logs.
Integration and scalability: For high-volume law firms, Codes Health can build custom integrations with CRM platforms and other medical software systems. This connectivity reduces manual data entry and errors while keeping your existing workflows intact.
Codes Health operates as a HIPAA-compliant platform designed to support secure medical-record retrieval, review, and storage workflows. Law firms should still maintain appropriate internal PHI safeguards and authorization practices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average turnaround time for medical record requests in Detroit?
It varies by system. DMC says on-site records average 5 to 7 business days and off-site records 2 to 4 weeks, while Henry Ford says processing can take up to 30 business days. Manual processes can extend further when follow-up is inconsistent. Codes Health's automated platform delivers organized records in weeks, not months.
Can a Detroit personal injury lawyer obtain medical records without patient authorization?
No. Michigan law and HIPAA require written patient authorization for attorney access to medical records. The patient must sign a HIPAA-compliant authorization, and for sensitive records such as mental health, substance use disorder, and HIV/AIDS, specific authorization language or separate consent may be required.
What are the most common reasons for delays from Detroit healthcare providers?
Common causes include incomplete authorizations, missing signatures, expired or unclear authorization dates, insufficient patient identifiers, missing required ID or representative documentation, and requests sent to the wrong department. Codes Health's AI review catches these errors before submission.
How much does it cost to request medical records in Michigan?
Under the 2026 Michigan MRAA maximums, paper records cost a $32.08 initial fee plus $1.60 per page for pages 1 to 20, $0.80 per page for pages 21 to 50, and $0.32 per page for pages 51 and up. MDHHS notes that a patient is not charged the initial fee for their own record. Electronic delivery fees must be reasonable and cost-based under HIPAA, and actual amounts vary by provider.
What should I do if a Detroit provider refuses to release medical records?
Escalate internally to the facility's HIM, compliance, privacy, or patient-relations office. For HIPAA access issues, consider the OCR complaint process where appropriate. Note that MDHHS states its only MRAA role is setting copy-fee rates and that it does not have authority to compel a provider to produce records, so it is not the enforcement body for record production.
