Health Information Management
Georgetown University Hospital
3800 Reservoir Road, NW
Bles Building
Lower Level, Room 140
Washington, DC 20007
General Info: 202-444-3184
Fax: 202-444-6427
Director: Kelly M. Pinto, RHIA, CPC
Hours of Operation:
Open to the general public
Monday through Friday
8 a.m.–5 p.m.*
Open to the medical and hospital staff
365 days a year,
7 a.m.–11:30 p.m.*
*All services described below are provided on the first (day) shift, Monday through Friday, excluding hospital holidays. The main department is staffed on the second shift (evenings), weekends, and holidays for physicians chart completion and for filling stat patient care requests.
Record Maintenance:
The HIM Department maintains hospital medical records of the following types of permanent retention:
- Inpatient Hospitalizations
- Pediatric Surgery Center (outpatient)
- Endoscopy and Bronchoscopy Unit (outpatient)
- Cardiac Catheterization Lab (outpatient)
- Observation Units (outpatient)
- Emergency Department (outpatient)
Release of Information:
All patient health care information at Georgetown University Hospital (GUH) is confidential. Therefore, medical records cannot be released to any person without the authorization of the patient or the patient's legally authorized representative (unless authorized by law).
Requesting Medical Records:
All requests for the release of medical records must be submitted in writing and must be dated and signed by the patient or the patient's legally authorized representative. In the case of a minor, the parent or guardian must sign the authorization.
A GUH General Medical Records Release & Authorization form can be downloaded by clicking on the link:
Submitting a Request:
To submit Requests for films or copies of films must be made to the film library at 202-444-3425.
Requests for copies of Outpatient Medical Records must be made to the individual outpatient departments. (See Designated Record Set Listing)
To submit Requests for copies of records for Inpatient, Ambulatory Surgery and/ or Emergency Room visits can be made to the following address:
Georgetown University Hospital
3800 Reservoir Road, NW
Bles Building
Lower Level, Room 140
Washington, DC 20007
Attention: Medical Correspondence
You can contact the Medical Correspondence area for Inpatient, Ambulatory Surgery and Emergency Room visits at 202-444-3392 during the hours of 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. For all Outpatient visits you will need to contact the individual outpatient departments.
Fee for Copying Patient Records:
GUH has contracted with HealthPort to process medical records requests. A fee may be charged for photocopying and releasing records.
Records are mailed upon receipt of payment—patients should allow 10 business days to process the request. All records are mailed via U.S. Mail to the address specified on your request.
To have the medical records request form faxed, please call Release of Information at 202-444-3392.
For further information about billing, please call Healthport at 1-800-367-1500 #1.
The HIM Department is responsible for the creation of a birth certificate for all live-born infants delivered at or in route to Georgetown University Hospital. Birth Certificates are submitted within five days of birth to the Department of Columbia Vital Records Department, who is solely responsible for distributing copies to qualified individuals.
Clinical Coding:
The HIM Department is responsible for clinical coding of all hospital service encounters, from inpatient hospitalizations to simple outpatient visits for diagnostic testing. The ICD-9CM coding nomenclature system is employed for diagnosis and procedure coding of all patient types. In addition, the CPT-4 procedure coding system is utilized for certain outpatient cases, as required by governmental and third-party payors.
Comprehensive Tumor Registry:
The HIM Department maintains a comprehensive registry of all cancer patients diagnosed and/or treated in the Hospital. The registry, which includes patients from 1982 through the present, is accredited by the American College of Surgeons.
