Correspondence/ROI (Request of Information)
WBAMC Release of Information (ROI) Office
NOTICE: The ROI office is working diligently to improve turnaround times amid high request volumes and a hospital-wide hiring freeze. The current average turnaround time is approximately 30 days. ROI will notify you by in writing by email or mail if your request will exceed 30 days.
Release of Information Mission
To provide medical information to our customers in a prompt, professional manner, while protecting patient's privacy and ensuring each request is releasable in accordance with State and Federal laws.
Release of Information fulfills requests and provides various services for continuity of care, service member PCS/separation/retirement, insurance claims, attorneys, law enforcement, and more for the El Paso Marketplace.
Hours of Operation
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, & Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 4:15 p.m.
- Thursday: 7:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
- Closed: Weekends and federal holidays and Thursday 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Location
Disclaimer: By emailing us, you acknowledge that there is a risk of unintentional disclosure of Personal Identifiable Information (PII) if emails are not encrypted. You may choose to submit your request by fax, mail, or in person to avoid the possibility of unintentional disclosures.
Services
For your convenience, patients can request Medical and Behavioral Health Records at the Release of Information Help Desk on the first floor of the West Clinic. Short requests (less than 30 pages) can be processed on the spot, including:
- Lab results
- Immunization records
- Radiology Reports (Images must be requested in the Radiology Department)
- Physicals (school, sports, etc.)
- Electronic Progress/Office visit note(s)
- Appointment list
- Medication List
- EKGs
Large or complex requests can be submitted at our Help Desk, via fax, or email (details below). For additional information, please call (915) 742-0661 during our business hours above.
How to download Your Electronic Health Records (EHR) at Home!
The
MHS GENESIS Patient Portal is a secure website available 24/7 for access to your health information. It allows you to:
- View health information.
- Schedule appointments.
- Communicate securely with providers.
- Request prescription renewals.
- View notes from your clinical visits and certain lab/test results, such as blood tests.
For more information on the MHS GENESIS Patient Portal,
https://william-beaumont.tricare.mil/Getting-Care/MHS-Genesis.
Please read before requesting records from the ROI Office
ROI Information Line: (915) 742-0661
The ROI office copies official medical record sets within William Beaumont Army Medical Center (WBAMC), including all available MTF medical records and civilian records located within the Electronic Health Records (EHR).
Notice: Due to current staffing shortages, our phone lines may experience high call volumes. We appreciate your patience and encourage you to try calling again during mornings or outside of peak times or email your questions to usarmy.bliss.medcom-wbamc.mbx.pad-record-request@health.mil
Requests for inpatient records, and some outpatient records, take up to 30 days to process. Newly established inpatient records cannot be copied until they are assembled, coded, and signed by the provider. Please allow 30-45 days after discharge before requesting inpatient records. Not all MTF’s have integrated Inpatient Records into the Electronic Health Record, so additional requests at other MTF locations may be required.
Dept. of Behavioral Health (BH) and other sensitive records that are marked “Not in Patient Portal” or “Sensitive Clinical Note” must be reviewed and cleared by a provider before release. Please allow up to and additional 30 days for processing. Not all BH records are available for release, such as Psychotherapy notes, Substance Abuse, Family Advocacy Program, and Sexual Assault Notes. For additional information, see the section below called
Reviewable Grounds for Denial of Records and
Substance Abuse (SUDCC) Requests.
Active-Duty Service Members and their dependents are encouraged to contact their records custodian (WBAMC OPR or Mendoza OPR) to ensure that their paper Service Treatment Records (STRs) and dependent Non-Service Treatment Records (NSTRs) are filed in the Outpatient Records room prior to requesting complete copies of records. These paper-based records are not “scanned” in your Electronic Health Record. It is your responsibility to ensure that records are transferred from previous duty stations.
Duplicate Copies and Updates: You are entitled to one free copy of your medical records once every 365 days. Updates from the time of the last request to present are free. Requesting a second or duplicate copy within a calendar year will result in a $6.50 fee, payable
here. Do not make a payment before contacting us and submitting your request for updates.
Dental Records are separate and requested through the Dental Department.
Radiology images such as X-Rays, MRIs, CT-Scans, etc. should be requested through the Radiology Department. ROI can only produce Radiology Reports and does not have access to images.
Expedited Requests. Requests are processed in the order they are received and can take as long as 30 calendar days, depending on the circumstances and volume of requests. Requests for appointments should be made at least 30 days in advance. Incomplete or incorrect requests will result in a delay of your records being processed. Only urgent continuity of care requests and subpoenas signed by a judge will be expedited.
An urgent request is one that, without the records, could result in loss of life or bodily injury. Processing is expedited requests is dependent on staff availability.
All requests for information must include the following:
- Patient's name
- Patient's date of birth
- Patient's DOD or patient’s social security number
- Period of treatment/information needed with a start and end date
- Statement authorizing WBAMC to release the records to a specific person/organization
- An address and/or phone number of the receiving person/organization
- The purpose for the release of the information
- Expiration Date
Requesting Records on Behalf of Another Person
Minors are afforded privacy protections when they obtain medical care without parental consent, if they, a court, or another legally authorized individual has consented to the care. According to DHA-Policy Memorandum 23-010, adolescents
(ages 13 to 17) are typically recognized as being able to provide informed consent for their own care. State and federal laws, including HIPAA, protect their privacy interests. Parents or guardians of emancipated or married minors will not receive copies of health records without presenting proof of power of attorney or a court order signed by a judge.
Parents, guardians, and those acting in loco parentis can still obtain medical records from the Release of Information Office for adolescents in situations where the adolescent did not provide their own consent or has authorized in writing the release of their PHI for encounters they consented to. The minor must provide authorization on DD Form 2870 to release these sensitive records to parents, or parents can provide power of attorney documentation.
If immunization records are requested and pertain to sensitive categories, the process for releasing sensitive records for unemancipated minors applies. If the individual requesting records for an unemancipated minor is not the biological parent, legal guardianship documentation is required.
Exceptions to these rules include parents or legal guardians requesting copies for minor children or physically or mentally challenged persons. Appropriate documentation such as Medical Power of Attorney or a court order appointing guardianship must be provided in accordance with DoDM 6025.18.
All requests for records must be accompanied by a subpoena signed by a judge or a Medical Power of Attorney that specifically indicates the release of medical records.
Exceptions
To obtain medical records for someone other than yourself or your minor dependents at Fort Bliss, specific documentation is required, depending on the individual's status:
- For another adult: A Medical Power of Attorney (POA) is needed. This document must explicitly state your authority to request medical records. POAs can be obtained at the Fort Bliss Legal Assistance Office on Main Post, on a case-by-case basis. You must specify the need for requesting medical records.
- For dependents under 18 who are not your biological child: Proof of guardianship may be required.
- For deceased patients: All requests must include a copy of the death certificate and documented proof of appointment as the Executor or Administrator of the estate, as outlined in DoDM 6025.18, para 4.5(g)(4).
Note: The
Fort Bliss Legal Assistance Office offers POA and notarization services on a walk-in basis. Appointments to speak with an attorney can be scheduled by emailing usarmy.bliss.hqda-otjag.mesg.bliss-legal-assistance-office@army.mil or calling (915) 568-7141 during business hours.
Under HIPAA, patient authorization is not always required for releasing protected health information (PHI). To qualify, your request must state the reason:
- Treatment, Payment, and Healthcare Operations (TPO): Healthcare providers can share information for treatment, billing, and essential administrative functions like quality assessment.
- Public Interest and Benefit Activities: Disclosure may be necessary for public health concerns, such as reporting communicable diseases, or in situations involving abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.
- Required by Law: PHI may be disclosed without authorization when mandated by legal processes like court orders or subpoenas, or for purposes like law enforcement investigations or workers' compensation claims.
- Military Command Exception: Military treatment facilities may disclose PHI of service members to military command authorities for authorized activities, such as fitness for duty determinations or other necessary activities for the military mission, without the service member's authorization.
Outside Records from “Civilian Providers’’
The Release of Information office at WBAMC is only able to release records that are currently in your Electronic Health Record (EHR), however, you can have them added to your records under the following scenarios:
- Not all documentation provided to WBAMC, or your provider is eligible for uploading into your EHR.
- If William Beaumont referred you to an outside provider, that outside provider is obligated to return copies of your records to the Managed Care Office to have it placed in your Electronic Health Record. The Managed Care Office phone number is (915) 742-3826. (Typically, only the first and last visit or a summary is provided to Managed Care and your provider may need to request additional records as needed.
- If you saw a civilian provider without a referral from William Beaumont, those records might not automatically be included in your Electronic Health Record (EHR). Your PCM should request copies directly from the civilian provider and returned directly to the clinic/provider. These records must be reviewed and authenticated by the PCM before they are uploaded into your EHR. Outside Provider records must not be submitted to ROI or Outpatient Records as they are not authorized to add to the patient’s record and they will be shredded/deleted for HIPAA compliance.
Substance Abuse (SUDCC) Requests
All personal and 3
rd party requests for SUDCC records will need to be requested on DD Form 3130 downloaded
here. The patient is required to sign the form before a witness for the request to be valid. A behavioral health provider must clear records for release directly to patients which may require an additional 30 days. 3
rd party requesters receiving SUDCC records are prohibited from disclosure to anyone else without the written consent of the patient.
Reviewable Grounds for Denial of Records
A DoD covered entity may deny an individual access, if the individual is given a right to have such denials reviewed, as required by DOD MANUAL 6025.18, Paragraph 5.3.a.(5), under the following circumstances:
(a) A licensed health care professional has determined, in the exercise of professional judgment, that the access requested is reasonably likely to endanger the life or physical safety of the individual or another person;
(b) The PHI makes reference to another person, unless such other person is a health care provider, and a licensed health care professional has determined, in the exercise of professional judgment, that the access requested is reasonably likely to cause substantial harm to such other person; or
(c) The request for access is made by the individual’s personal representative and a licensed health care professional has determined, in the exercise of professional judgment, that the provision of access to such personal representative is reasonably likely to cause substantial harm to the individual or another person.
If records are denied, a memorandum will be sent to the requester and a copy uploaded to the patients EHR, explaining the reason for the denial and how to appeal the decision if necessary.
To begin, click here to download DD Form 2870
- All blocks highlighted in yellow must be filled in legibly or the request will be returned.
- Only check the boxes that you know you need. Requesting Behavioral Health and HIV records may delay your request up to an additional 30 days as a provider must review the records prior to release.
- Digital signatures are not accepted unless signed with a DOD issued CAC.
- All requests without a CAC signature must be hand signed and include a copy of a photo ID with a signature, like a state ID or Drivers License, NO CAC CARDS!
- Email request with a photo ID (if applicable) by clicking here.
- Unless specified otherwise, all Medical Records will be sent electronically via DOD Safe Access File Exchange (SAFE). You will receive a link in your email that will take you to SAFE. P
Billing Record Requests
The ROI (Release of Information) office at William Beaumont Army Medical Center (WBAMC) does not handle requests for billing records.
- Billing records are only provided for Tricare Beneficiaries.
- Requests for billing records must be submitted in writing by the attorney of record to the WBAMC Office of General Counsel (OGC).
- Billing records will not be provided to retrieval companies or other third-party requesters.
- There is no fee for requesting copies of billing records.
- Please have your attorney contact the WBAMC OGC office via email at cheryl.h.nordahl.civ@health.mil or by phone at (915) 569-3174 for billing record requests.
Non-Billable Third-Party Requestors
William Beaumont AMC ROI office does not charge for the release of records pertaining to Social Security or Veterans Disability Evaluation, Workers Compensation, or Continuity of Care Providers. Requests should clearly state this in the “reason for request” to qualify for exemption from billing. Please include an email address with your request so we can email you a secure download link for the records.
Billable Third-Party Requestors
This information is for retrieval companies, attorneys, insurance agencies, and other entities requesting medical records on behalf of a patient.
Fee schedule
- Fees for medical record disclosure and delivery are assessed in accordance with Texas Medical Association guidelines and Texas Health and Human Services Code and are subject to annual increases based on the Consumer Price Index.
- All billable third-party requestors are required to pay fees within 30 days of receiving an invoice. Requests will be rejected if payment is not received within this timeframe, and a new request will need to be submitted with payment.
- Requests are processed in the order received; however, paid requests are given priority.
- Payments are non-refundable research and production fees as it takes considerable time to diligently search all current and legacy file systems.
Electronic Medical Records (EMR)
- A flat fee of $102.54 applies to all EMR requests.
- If a CD is requested, an additional fee of $5.00 applies.
- Affidavits, if specifically requested, cost an additional $1.00.
- Records will be sent as a digital download link to the designated email address via DOD SAFE. PASSPHRASE INSTRUCTIONS: patient’s last name, 8 digit birthdate (Year Month Day), all lower case, no spaces. Example: smith20010101
Radiology Images/Films
- A separate fee of $102.54 applies to radiology image/film requests.
- Images will be provided on a DICOM formatted disc.
- An additional fee of $5.00 for shipping and materials is required.
- Affidavits, if specifically requested, cost an additional $1.00.
Important Note: Requests received without payment will be added to the work queue, and an invoice will be issued within 10 days. If payment is not received by the due date on the invoice, the request will be rejected for non-payment, and a new request must be submitted, and cannot be backdated.
Additional requirements
- Medical Power of Attorneys and Court Orders: These documents must explicitly state that the POA holder has the authority to request copies of records.
- Deceased Patient Requests: Requests for deceased patient records must include both the Administrator/Executor of Estate documentation and the Death Certificate. Requests without both documents will be automatically rejected and the requester notified promptly. Executors or administrators of the estate must provide legal documentation showing their appointment, DoDM 6025.18, para 4.5(g)(4).
- Subpoenas: Subpoenas must include a signed patient authorization, unless signed by a judge. All subpoenas/requests without the patient’s authorization or judge’s signed order will be rejected as deficient, unless otherwise exempted by law.
Important Note: In Texas, access to deceased patient records is restricted to a legally designated "personal representative" of the deceased.
Mail your records request (with signed patient authorization or court order signed by the judge) and check payable to
U.S. TREASURY or WBAMC to our
new address below. Mailing requests to our old 5005 N. Piedras address will cause significant delays due to postal rerouting.
William Beaumont Army Medical Center
ATTN: ROI Box 817
18511 Highlander Medics
Fort Bliss, TX 79918
To submit your request electronically, make a payment to
www.pay.gov/public/form/start/73038362 and forward your Payment Confirmation Email (with tracking ID) with the medical records request (including signed patient authorization) to
usarmy.bliss.medcom-wbamc.mbx.pad-record-request@health.mil.
Investigative Requests
Law Enforcement, Grand Jury Subpoenas, Background Investigations, Military Command Exception Requests and Line of Duty Requests
Investigations may be submitted on your agency form or download
DD Form 4254 here. Requests should be limited in scope to protect the privacy of the patient. Requests are usually completed within 15 days unless otherwise notified in writing. LODs and Command Exceptions should include a copy of the appointment orders or memorandum. The request should include the following:
- Patient’s Name and SSN or DOD ID
- Reason for the request
- Start and End Date
- Type of records (Outpatient, Inpatient, Behavioral Health, SUDCC, SANE, Radiology Images)
- Specify if an Affidavit is required
- Contact information including phone and email address
- Requestor’s Name, Title, Organization and SSN or DOD ID
- Copy of Appointment Orders if applicable
- Email request usarmy.bliss.medcom-wbamc.mbx.pad-record-request@health.mil or fax (915) 742-0710 and mark Attention Supervisor or Lead MRT.
Archived and Paper Records
Active-Duty Service Treatment Records (STRs) are routinely retired after separation from Active Duty. STRs retired after 2015 should be scanned as a part of the Electronic Health Record and will be available for copies at least 8 weeks after separation. STRs retired prior to 2015 will need to be requested from National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), St Louis, MO.
WBAMC maintains outpatient “paper” records called Non-Service Treatment Records (NSTRs) for a period of 2 years after the patient’s last medical encounter (excluding active-duty military and their dependents). Inpatient “paper” records are maintained for 5 years after the date of discharge. After such periods, the records are retired to NPRC, St. Louis, MO.
Patients may obtain their retired records directly from NPRC online at
www.archives.gov/
or write to NPRC at the following address (es):
Active-Duty Military Records Dept of Veteran Affairs
Records Mgmt. Center
P.O. Box 5020
St. Louis, MO 63115
Dependent Records NPRC (CPR)
1411 Boulder Dr.
Valmeyer, IL 62295
Employee or Occupational Health Records
https://william-beaumont.tricare.mil/Health-Services/Specialty-Care/Occupational-Health-Clinic
Please contact Occupational Health to request copies of employee health records at (915) 742-5247 or (915) 742-5302.
HIPAA Privacy Office
https://william-beaumont.tricare.mil/Patient-Resources/HIPAA-Guidelines
Patient Experience (Advocacy)
https://william-beaumont.tricare.mil/Patient-Resources/Patient-Experience-Advocacy
*Do not send any PHI/PII*