Medical Referrals and Record Requests

Referrals to Medical Specialists

If you and your physician decide that a referral to a specialist, like a dermatologist, is required, your physician will write a referral letter for you and arrange to have an appointment made, whether that is calling or faxing a request or, in some cases, having you (the patient) book the appointment for yourself.

At UHC, most appointments will be coordinated by the physicians and referrals clerks.

Appointment Details

Staff at UHC will contact you directly - by phone or an email requesting that you call our office - whenever we have new information regarding your referral or appointment.

If you are waiting for a specialist appointment and the UHC has called you or sent you an email asking you to contact the Appointment Desk, please call back as soon as possible. You can also call our office for an update on your referral or appointment at any point and our staff can relay the information that we have to you.

Wait Times
Wait times for specialists often vary by type of specialty and time of the year. If you have been placed on a waitlist for an appointment, UHC staff will contact you to let you know this information.
Cancellation or Rescheduling

If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment with a specialist, we ask that you call their office directly to arrange this with the staff at that office. They may be able to help you reschedule the appointment for a date that works better with your schedule. If you do not have the contact details for the specialists' office, feel free to call UHC and our staff will assist you in getting that information.

If you do not show up for an appointment with a specialist physician, they may choose not to rebook your appointment or to charge you a cancellation fee to rebook the missed appointment. This can be costly as some specialists' offices charge over $100 in this type of situation.

Calling an office to cancel or reschedule an appointment is a courtesy for everyone as it allows that office to rebook the appointment time for another person on their waitlist.

Location
Unless the specialist you are booked with works at the UHC, the appointment will most likely be located off-campus. We will try to accommodate requests to see physicians close to North Campus while working to get you the soonest possible date for an appointment.

Medical Record Requests

UHC is committed to providing comprehensive, coordinated and continuing care for all patients while they are part of the U of A community. Once you graduate or if you find another family physician for your care, UHC will help you ensure that any medical records are transferred to your new health practitioner.

Written and signed requests are required for all medical record transfers or requests. Your new physician's office may have a form for you to fill out that can be sent to UHC. UHC also has forms to complete to request copies of any and all medical records.

There may be a fee associated with the transfer or release of medical records.


Immunization Record Requests

If you have had any immunizations or vaccinations at UHC, you will be provided with a copy of the immunization record for your own personal records. It is important to keep these records on file in case you need proof of immunization at a later date, and because they also contain personal health information.

If you require an additional copy of any immunization or vaccination record that you received at UHC, you may request a copy in person with a UHC Nurse, or send a signed request to UHC for processing. There are administrative fees associated with releasing additional copies of immunization records: $15 for current U of A students; $25 for staff or alumni.

Audience

Students, Employees

Category

Health Wellness

Provider
Provost Provost