"May I see my chart, please?"

You walk in your doctor's office for a cancer screening (pap smear or clinical breast exam, perhaps). You give your name to the receptionist and wait to be called. The medical assistant who calls your name has your chart in hand. She takes you to your room, and while you anxiously await your doctor inside, she places your chart on the outside of the door. The doctor retrieves the chart, comes into the room, jots some notes in it during your appointment and walks out with the chart. You have no idea what the chart says but you sure are curious... But can you ask to see your chart?

YES.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) gives you the right to see your medical records in your doctors' offices. If you would like a copy of your chart, your doctor must provide you with a copy of your medical records within 30 days. (Be aware: the doctor's office can charge for the copies and mailing fee).

So, the next time you wish you could remember what your blood pressure was at the doctor's office, or monitor your weight change over the years, or track your frequency of pap smears, just ask, "May I see my chart, please?"

Go here for more information on your rights to your records.