How can I get the medical history about my (deceased) grandmother's hysterectomy?

Question

I am an American living in West Africa with no means of traveling to the US in the near future. I don't know where or why she had this done; but as a woman, I feel it may concern my own health.

Answer 1

Unfortunately for you, doctor-patient confidentiality generally continues after the death of the patient. If you are the executor of the estate and need to have information about the mental or physical state under which the will was made, or if there was some question that malpractice may have led to the death, then medical records can be requested or subpoenaed. This is not an easy task... doctors take confidentiality very seriously.

Your best bet might be to get in touch with your relatives... since you don't know where the procedure took place, you would have a heck of a time finding out who to ask about medical records to begin with. Her siblings or children might have a better idea of her motivation for the surgery.

FYI, the fact that your grandmother had a hysterectomy does not necessarily indicate she had a dangerous or lifethreatening health condition. It's a popular surgery in the US, and is often done to improve quality of life.

Answer 2

my best advice is to ask family members that might know about what happend and why. You cant get hospital records unless you are immediate familiy like daughter, son, mother, father. Ask around and see if you can find a family member who knows what the deal is. In most cases a hysterectomy is done for cancer or back in the days there were done to prevent pregnancy. My grandmother had one when she was done having kids.

Answer 3

All my grandparents are handed. My maternal grandmother died because of headaches of diabetes. I figured the mind tumor she saved having to have eliminated could have performed it, however see, you not ever recognize.

Answer 4

with the new privacy laws in place, i doubt that you can, unless it was a small town hospital where you know people, medical records are sealed