In this guide
Key takeaways
- The most useful items are actual reports and images, not summaries: angiogram images, echo and stress test reports, ECGs and recent blood work.
- In the US, HIPAA gives you the right to copies of your records. Providers must generally act within 30 days, with one possible 30-day extension, so request early.
- Ask for imaging in its original digital format (DICOM), not just a written report. A cardiologist will want to see the angiogram itself.
- Bring an accurate, current medication and allergy list, including doses and any blood thinners.
- Before you leave Colombia, collect your new records in English. The CDC recommends getting a complete set to share with your doctors at home.
The single biggest factor in how useful a cardiology consult in Colombia will be is something you control before you ever get on a plane: the records you bring. A complete file lets a cardiologist review your case properly, compare old and new results, and avoid repeating tests you already had. A thin file often means repeat imaging, extra days and a vaguer opinion. Below is a practical, printable checklist, followed by how to request each item, how to organize everything, and what to collect before you fly home.
Why your records matter so much abroad
At home, your cardiologist can open your chart and see years of history. A team in Colombia starts from zero. The American Heart Association's advice for anyone getting a second opinion applies directly: have records sent ahead, or better, get a complete set and bring it yourself. The CDC's medical tourism guidance makes the same point from the other direction, recommending that patients get full records of care received abroad so their doctors at home can see what was done.
Good records help in three concrete ways:
- Better decisions. Whether you need a stent, bypass or medication often depends on details that only show up in the original images.
- Fewer repeat tests. A recent, good-quality study may not need repeating, which can save time on your trip.
- Safer care. An accurate medication and allergy list prevents avoidable mistakes, especially with blood thinners.
The checklist
Not everyone will have every item. Bring what applies to you, and ask your home cardiologist which results are most important for your situation.
Core documents (almost everyone)
- A recent letter or visit note from your cardiologist summarizing your diagnosis and why treatment is being considered
- Current medication list: name, dose, how often, and why you take it. Include supplements and over-the-counter drugs.
- Allergies, especially to medicines, contrast dye, latex or iodine, and what reaction you had
- List of past surgeries and procedures with approximate dates
- Other medical conditions: diabetes, kidney disease, lung disease, bleeding problems, prior stroke
- Passport-name match: make sure your records show the same name as your passport
Heart tests
- Recent ECGs (electrocardiograms), including an older one for comparison if you have it
- Echocardiogram report, including ejection fraction and valve findings
- Stress test report (exercise, stress echo or nuclear), with the images if available
- Coronary angiogram (cardiac catheterization) report and the images on disc or via a download link
- Coronary CT angiogram or calcium score report, if done
- Holter or event monitor reports, if you have rhythm problems
- Cardiac MRI report and images, if done
Lab work
- Recent blood tests: complete blood count, kidney function (creatinine), electrolytes, blood sugar or A1C, and a lipid panel
- Clotting tests (such as INR) if you take warfarin
Prior procedures and devices
- Operative or procedure reports from any previous stents, bypass, valve work or ablation
- Stent details if known: which artery, when, and type
- Pacemaker or ICD identification card and the most recent device check report
Practical items
- Contact details for your home cardiologist and primary care doctor
- Insurance or travel medical insurance details
- A short written list of your questions for the consult
How to request your records in the US
Under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, you generally have the right to see and get copies of your medical and billing records from health care providers and health plans. A few specifics from the federal regulation and HHS guidance help you plan:
| Your right | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Timing | The provider must act on your request within 30 days. It can extend once, by up to 30 more days, if it tells you in writing why and when it will act. |
| Electronic copies | If records are kept electronically and you ask for an electronic copy, the provider must give it in the format you request if it can readily produce it, or in another readable electronic format you agree on. |
| Sending to someone else | You can direct the provider, in a signed written request, to send a copy straight to another person, such as a Colombian cardiologist. |
| Fees | HHS says providers may charge reasonable copying and mailing costs, but cannot charge for searching for or retrieving your records, and cannot refuse because you owe for past care. |
- Start four to six weeks aheadThe legal deadline is 30 days, and some offices use the extension. Starting early avoids last-minute stress.
- Contact each provider separatelyYour cardiologist's office, the hospital where you had an angiogram, the imaging center and the lab may each hold different pieces. Ask for the "health information management" or "medical records" department.
- Be specificList the exact tests and dates you need, and say whether you want reports, images or both.
- Ask for imaging in DICOM formatDICOM is the standard digital format for medical images. A written angiogram report is helpful, but a cardiologist will want to see the images themselves, on a disc, USB drive or secure download link.
- Check what you receiveOpen every file before you travel. Make sure discs actually load and that reports are complete and legible.
Access rules in Canada are set by provincial and federal privacy laws rather than HIPAA. The same practical steps apply: request early, be specific, and ask for images in digital form.
Organizing your file for the consult
A well-organized file saves the cardiologist time and makes it far more likely that nothing important is missed.
- Make a one-page summary. At the top: your name, date of birth, diagnosis, current medications and allergies, and the specific question you want answered (for example, "Am I a candidate for a stent or bypass?").
- Sort by type, newest first. Group ECGs, echoes, stress tests, angiograms and labs together, with the most recent at the front of each group.
- Bring paper and digital. Carry printed reports plus the digital files. Keep a backup copy in secure cloud storage in case a disc fails or luggage goes missing.
- Send ahead when possible. Many international programs review records before you travel. Sending them early can mean a clearer quote and fewer surprises when you arrive.
- Consider translation for key documents. Many Colombian cardiologists read English, but a short Spanish summary of your diagnosis and medications can help nursing staff. Ask the hospital what it prefers.
Put the medication list and allergy list on a single page you keep in your wallet or phone. You will be asked for it many times, by admissions, nurses, anesthesia and pharmacy.
Privacy and sharing records safely
The CDC notes that some overseas facilities may not track outcomes or have formal privacy and security policies for records. It is reasonable to ask a hospital how it stores and transmits patient information. Use the hospital's secure upload system if it has one, rather than sending full records through ordinary messaging apps.
In Colombia, the medical record (historia clínica) is defined in Ministry of Health Resolution 1995 of 1999 as a private, mandatory and confidential document. Third parties may see it only with the patient's authorization or where the law allows, and the provider may give patients a copy on request.
What to collect before you fly home
Your records job does not end at the consult. Before you leave Colombia, ask for the following, ideally in English:
- Discharge summary with diagnosis, procedure performed and any complications
- Full procedure or operative report
- Angiogram or other images from your procedure, in DICOM format
- Details of any stent placed (artery, number, type) or any device implanted, with its ID card
- Final medication list with doses, start dates and how long to continue each one
- Results of tests done during your stay (ECG, echo, labs)
- Your written fitness-to-fly clearance
- Contact details for the treating physician for questions after you return
Give copies to your home cardiologist and primary care doctor at your first follow-up visit. For help planning the days between discharge and your flight, read Recovering in Colombia Before You Fly Home.
Frequently asked questions
What records does a cardiologist in Colombia need before a consult?
The most useful items are your cardiologist's summary letter, a current medication and allergy list, recent ECGs, echocardiogram and stress test reports, any angiogram report with the images, recent blood work, and reports from prior heart procedures.
How long does it take to get my medical records in the US?
Under HIPAA, providers must generally act on your request within 30 days and can extend once by up to 30 more days with a written explanation. Request your records four to six weeks before you travel.
Do I need the actual angiogram images or just the report?
Bring both if you can. The written report is helpful, but a cardiologist deciding between a stent, bypass or medication will usually want to see the images themselves, ideally in DICOM format.
Do my records need to be translated into Spanish?
Not always. Many Colombian cardiologists read English, but ask the hospital what it prefers. A short Spanish summary of your diagnosis, medications and allergies can be helpful for nursing and pharmacy staff.
What should I get from the Colombian hospital before I fly home?
Ask for your discharge summary, procedure report, images, stent or device details, final medication list, test results and fitness-to-fly clearance, ideally in English, and share them with your doctors at home.
Send us your records for a quote
Once you have your reports together, share them through our quote form. We will help you get them in front of a Colombian heart team for review before you travel.
Request a cardiac quote →Sources
- 45 CFR 164.524: Access of individuals to protected health information — Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
- Your Medical Records — US Department of Health and Human Services
- Medical Tourism (CDC Yellow Book) — US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Getting a Second Medical Opinion — American Heart Association
- Resolution 1995 of 1999 on the management of the historia clínica — Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social
- Heart Tests — National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. It does not replace an evaluation by a qualified cardiologist who knows your history. Always follow the instructions of your own care team. Colombia Heart is an information and referral service, not a hospital or medical provider.