Medical Records
USNH Yokosuka's Outpatient Records staff understands how important your medical record is to you and your family. We want to assure you that we are committed to maintaining your medical records within a safe, secure, customer service oriented environment, and make your records available to you upon request. Due to the revisions in the DoD Department of Health Affairs policies, USNH Yokosuka has implemented a closed medical record system. This means that we maintain custody of active duty and beneficiaries' medical records housed here within our facility, and that your medical records will never leave the custody of the hospital while you are enrolled. This will significantly reduce the possibility of it being lost and ensures record availability. The FAQ's section below may help answer some of your concerns. If your question was not addressed, please see or call Outpatient Medical Records Office staff for further assistance.
How do I request a copy of my medical record?
Patients can visit the Medical Records Office and the records staff will assist you with your health record request. A copy of your health record will be ready for pick-up within 30 business days from the date of your request. Please be aware that the Medical Records Office only provides one copy per record. If the record is not picked up two weeks after completion of the copy, the copy will be destroyed. If you can not physically make the request, please submit request via email. Our email can be found under "Contact Us".
What forms do I need to fill out to make the request?
For requests from Military Treatment Facility to Patient or other Civilian Treatment Facility, please fill out DD Form 2870 Authorization for Disclosure of Medical or Dental Information.
For requests from Military Treatment Facility to Military Treatment Facility, please fill out DD Form 877 Request for Medical and Dental Records or Information.
How long can it take to get a copy of my medical record?
Depending on the volume of requests, Outpatient Records can take up to 30 days to process an official request.
I'm scheduled for an appointment at a facility located in CONUS. Can I bring my records with me?
Your original records will remain here within our facility. If you are getting MEDEVAC’d or referred out to a CONUS hospital, a copy of all pertinent medical documents will be copied for you to bring with you provided that you bring a copy of the TAD orders verifying your departure to the Outpatient Records Front Desk one day prior to departure.
I have an appointment with a civilian provider. How will he/she receive important medical information about me?
Civilian providers should send formal requests (DD Form 2870) to USNH Yokosuka for pertinent health information in order to prepare for your appointment. In the event a request is not received by the civilian provider, patients can visit the Medical Records Office, and the records staff will assist you with your health record request. A copy of your health record will be ready for pick up 10 business days from the date of your request.
I'm seeing my provider as a walk-in. How do I obtain my record?
Clinic staff are responsible for requesting your medical record through our electronic system or by directly coming to the department and requesting your record. Once the electronic request or direct request is received in the Medical Records Office.
Why can't I keep my medical record?
The staff at Naval Hospital Yokosuka wants to ensure that your medical record is always complete for your safety and continuity of care. Medical records are the property of the U.S. Government and must be maintained at a military treatment facility. It is needed to ensure that current information such as lab reports, radiology results, medications and treatment plans are recorded in your file and to ensure medical readiness for Active Duty members. Data in your medical record provides information to healthcare providers/practitioners for quality assurance; for evaluation and improvement of treatment methods; and for development of patient care criteria and enhanced care.
What happens when I come for an appointment at the Naval Hospital or Clinics?
Maintenance of your medical record at Naval Hospital allows our medical record staff to pre-deliver the record to your scheduled appointment and pick it up afterwards. This process allows your provider to have the opportunity to review your medical history before your arrival. It also eliminates the need for you to pick-up and return your medical record after the appointment.
I am retired and I was stationed in Yokosuka, Japan in 1999. I need copies of my medical records from when I was stationed there for disability claims. How can I get these from USNH or do you still have them?
Medical records and documentation are kept on file for two years. Records identified as not being active in our system greater than two years are, by instruction, retired to the Archives located in St. Louis, MO. If your record has not seen activity for greater than two years, the staff here will do research to determine whether or not the member of the record has PCS’d, retired, separated or just has not been seen for that amount of time. In the event that no contact or information can be found, the record will be retired. If the member has PCS’d to another location, the record will be officially mailed to their location’s nearest MTF. If the member has separated or retired and has not contacted us within those two years, the record will be retired.
We are PCS’ing, can we hand carry our records to our next duty station?
Custody and positive control of your records is one of our highest priorities. Records of minor dependent children may be hand carried by the parent or sponsor. Patients may not retain or hand carry their original health records without written authorization. Medical records are the property of the U.S. Government and must be maintained by the MTF which has primary cognizance over the care of the patient. Medical records of active duty members and their spouses will be shipped via official mail to the nearest Military Treatment Facility or clinic. In the case where the member will be stationed in a location where there is no MTF within 50 miles, a copy of the original will be provided, and the original will be official mailed to the nearest MTF. In cases where parents are divorced, only the parent (or sponsor of the child) having custody of the child is authorized to pick-up the record.
Can I check out my spouses/sponsors medical record?
Due to internal policies, Navy policies, HIPAA and the privacy act, sponsors nor their dependents, or vice versa, are not authorized to check out the medical records of the other member without their written and signed authorization. The release form (DD Form 2870) is available here. The form must be formally submitted to department and signed by the releasing party. The original copy will be placed into the members medical record.
Where do I register to be a patient in the hospital?
All personnel arriving in the area and requesting to be seen at Naval Hospital Yokosuka are required to check-in at the front desk with a copy of their orders or letter of employment, Other Health Insurance (OHI), a local address and phone number. For members on short term orders and civilian contractors (>6mo.) the above information and a stateside address and phone number are required.
Can my visiting relatives or friends be a patient in the hospital?
All relatives or friends entering the installation are required to provide a copy of their Other Health Insurance (OHI) at the main gate and to carry the cards on them at all times. No medication refills, routine sick call, or minor care will be given at Naval Hospital Yokosuka. All routine treatments will require member to be seen at a local Japanese hospital or clinic. If a member is requiring emergent care while on-base, the Naval Hospital Yokosuka emergency room will see the patient and refer them to alternate care as needed at a local hospital or within this facility. It is the responsibility of the sponsor to pay any medical expenses directly to the Third Party Collection Office prior to disposition of the patient. We appreciate your understanding regarding this policy change and hope we will meet all your medical records needs in the future. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your medical record, please contact the Outpatient Records Office, Naval Hospital Yokosuka, Japan at DSN 315-243-5825 or Commercial: 011-81-046-816-5825, or visit our office on the 1st Floor, located directly right of the Quarter Deck.