An Introduction to Medical Record Transfer
For any international patient seeking cancer treatment in Turkey, the secure and complete transfer of medical records is the essential first step of the journey. Your medical records tell the detailed story of your diagnosis and your health history. Providing this information to the Turkish oncology team allows them to conduct a thorough evaluation of your case, provide an informed second opinion, and determine if you are a suitable candidate for the treatments they offer.
Likewise, at the conclusion of your treatment in Turkey, receiving a complete set of your new medical records to take home is just as critical. This ensures a safe and seamless transition of care back to your local physician. This guide explains the process of transferring records both to and from Turkish hospitals, what to include, and the importance of each component. For more on obtaining records, see our guide on medical records.
Part 1: Sending Your Medical Records to Turkey for Evaluation
Before a Turkish hospital can accept you as a patient or provide a second opinion, their medical team must conduct a comprehensive review of your case. This requires you to send them a complete diagnostic file. The hospital’s International Patient Department will guide you through this process and will provide a secure method for transferring your files.
What to Include in Your Initial File
To ensure the oncology team has all the information they need, your initial medical record package should be as complete as possible.
- The Pathology Report (Most Critical):
- This is the report from the laboratory that analyzed your biopsy or surgical tissue and made the official cancer diagnosis. It should include the cancer’s exact type, subtype, and grade. This document is the absolute foundation of any oncology review.
- The Pathology Slides and Blocks:
- For a truly comprehensive second opinion, the hospital will request the physical glass slides and paraffin blocks of your tumor tissue. This allows their own expert pathologists to re-examine the tissue, confirm the diagnosis, and perform any additional molecular tests that may be needed to guide treatment.
- All Imaging Studies (Images, Not Just Reports):
- It is crucial to send the actual digital image files from all your relevant scans. This includes CT, MRI, and PET-CT scans. These files are typically on a CD, DVD, or can be transferred via a secure online portal in DICOM format. Written reports alone are not sufficient, as the radiologists in Turkey will need to perform their own detailed review of the images.
- All Imaging Reports:
- Include the written reports that correspond to the imaging studies you are sending.
- Operative Reports:
- If you have had any cancer-related surgery, include the detailed report from the surgeon.
- Laboratory and Blood Test Results:
- Provide copies of all recent and relevant blood work.
- Physician’s Summary:
- A letter or summary from your current doctor explaining your medical history, diagnosis, any treatments already received, and your current health status.
- List of Current Medications:
- A list of all medications you are currently taking, including dose and frequency.
Language and Format
- Language: Key documents like the pathology report and physician’s summary should ideally be provided in English. If they are in another language, you may need to have them professionally translated. The International Patient Department can provide guidance on this.
- Format: Most documents can be scanned and sent as PDFs. As mentioned, imaging studies must be in their original digital (DICOM) format.
This complete package allows the multidisciplinary team in Turkey to conduct a thorough remote evaluation and provide you with a meaningful and well-informed preliminary treatment plan.
Part 2: Receiving Your Medical Records from Turkey After Treatment
At the end of your treatment in Turkey, the process reverses. The hospital will prepare a complete package of all the medical records generated during your stay. This file is the essential communication tool you will hand over to your local doctor at home to ensure the safe and proper continuation of your long-term follow-up care.
What Your Final Medical Record Package Should Contain
Before you leave Turkey, your International Patient Department coordinator will provide you with your final medical file. You should ensure it includes the following:
- Final Treatment Summary / Discharge Summary: This is a comprehensive report from your primary oncologist summarizing your diagnosis, every treatment you received, and your condition upon discharge.
- Complete Pathology Reports: All reports from any biopsies or surgeries performed in Turkey.
- Complete Operative Reports: Detailed reports from any surgical procedures.
- Complete Imaging Reports and Files: All written reports and the digital DICOM images of all scans (CT, MRI, PET-CT) performed during your treatment.
- Chemotherapy / Systemic Therapy Summary: A detailed log showing the names of every drug administered, the dates of infusion, and the doses given.
- Radiation Therapy Summary: A report detailing the total radiation dose delivered, the number of treatments (fractions), and the specific areas of the body that were treated.
- Survivorship Care Plan: This is a crucial document that outlines the hospital’s recommendations for your long-term follow-up care. It will include a schedule for future blood tests, imaging scans, and check-ups that your local doctor should follow. See our guide on survivorship programs.
Receiving and Storing Your Records
Your final records will likely be given to you in a folder containing key paper documents and a CD or USB drive containing all the digital files (images and PDFs). It is your responsibility to keep this information safe and secure. Make multiple digital backup copies of these files. Provide one complete copy to your primary care physician or local oncologist at home and keep one for your own personal records.
This complete and well-organized medical record is the most important tool for ensuring a safe and seamless transition back into your local healthcare system, empowering your doctors at home to manage your survivorship with confidence and clarity.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why do I need to send the actual imaging files (on CD) and not just the written reports?
The written report is an interpretation of the scan by one radiologist. An expert review, which is part of a thorough second opinion or treatment planning process, requires the new team of radiologists to look at the raw image data themselves. They may see different details, make different measurements, or have a different interpretation, which can be critical for accurate staging and planning.
2. How do I send the physical pathology slides and blocks to Turkey?
Your local hospital’s pathology department can prepare the slides and blocks for transport. You will need to use a medical courier service to ship them internationally. The International Patient Department at the Turkish hospital can provide you with the exact shipping address and any specific instructions.
3. What is the most important document to send for an initial review?
The pathology report is the most critical document, as it confirms the exact cancer diagnosis. Without this, it is impossible for the oncology team to make any meaningful assessment or recommendation.
4. What format should my imaging scans be in?
Imaging scans must be in DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) format. This is the universal standard format for medical images. When you request a copy of your scans from a hospital, they will provide it to you in this format on a CD, DVD, or USB drive.
5. Will the medical records I receive from the Turkish hospital be in English?
In major hospitals that cater to international patients, it is standard practice to provide all major summary reports—such as the discharge summary, final oncology report, and pathology reports—in English. You should confirm this with your international patient coordinator.
6. What if I lose my records after I return home?
Turkish hospitals are required to securely archive patient medical records for many years. If you lose your file, you can contact the International Patient Department of the hospital where you were treated. After verifying your identity, they can usually provide you with a new digital copy of your records.
7. How should I organize my medical records for my doctors at home?
It is a good idea to keep both a physical and a digital copy. For your doctor, providing them with the CD or USB drive given to you by the Turkish hospital is often the easiest way, as it contains everything in an organized digital format. The single most helpful document to hand them first is the final Treatment Summary and Survivorship Care Plan, as this provides the complete overview and future roadmap.
