Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
Carrying your records between centres for surgery | CION Cancer Clinics
Carry every report, every scan with its images, and the biopsy slides and blocks if the new centre asks for them. Keep the originals with you and hand over copies, sorted by date in one folder. A complete folder helps the surgeon plan without repeating tests. This page explains what to collect, how to gather it from several places, and what to do when something is missing. CION Cancer Clinics’ surgical oncologists in Hyderabad can talk this through with you.
MM
Medically reviewed by Dr. Muralidhar MuddusettyConsultant Surgical Oncologist · MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery, AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
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On this page
- What records should you carry when you move to another hospital?
- What goes in the folder, and why is each part needed?
- How do you gather everything without missing a report?
- Which papers do you hand over, and which do you keep?
- What do families often get wrong about old reports?
- What do the records-desk words mean?
- What if some records are lost or cannot be collected?
- Common questions about carrying medical records
The short answer
What records should you carry when you move to another hospital?
Carry every report, every scan with its disc or download link, and the biopsy slides and tissue blocks if the new centre asks for them. Keep the originals with you, hand over copies, and put everything in date order in one folder before you leave home.
Why the paperwork matters so much before surgery
A surgeon plans an operation from what has already been found. The biopsy report says what the lump is. The scans show how big it is and whether it has reached nearby lymph nodes, the small glands that drain fluid from the area. If any of this is missing, the new team may have to repeat a test. That costs money and time.
Why families from the districts get caught out
Many people are first seen in Warangal, Karimnagar, Nizamabad or a town hospital, then sent to Hyderabad for the operation. The reports are often split between a local lab, a scan centre and the first hospital. Each one keeps its own copy. Nobody gathers them together unless you do.
This page is about paperwork and practical steps. It cannot tell you what your reports mean or which operation you need. Your treating surgeon reads them for that.The folder
What goes in the folder, and why is each part needed?
Think of it in four piles. The new surgeon will look for each one, usually in this order.
The tissue report
The biopsy or histopathology report, which is the lab's description of the cells seen under a microscope. This is the report that confirms the diagnosis, so it matters more than any scan.
Also bring
- Any extra marker or IHC test report
- The lab's name and your lab number
Scans, with the pictures
The written report alone is not always enough. Surgeons often want to see the images themselves, to judge the exact position of the growth.
Ask the scan centre for
- A CD, pen drive or online image link
- Printed films if a disc is not possible
Treatment already given
Discharge summaries, operation notes from any earlier surgery, and chemotherapy or radiotherapy summaries. These change how an operation is planned, even if they seem unrelated.
Your general health
A list of every medicine you take, with the strip or packet, plus recent blood tests, ECG and notes on diabetes, heart or kidney problems. The anaesthetist will ask about all of it.
Do not stop any medicine to prepare for the visit. Bring the list and let the doctors decide.Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistBefore you travel
How do you gather everything without missing a report?
-
List every place you have been seen
Write down each hospital, clinic, lab and scan centre, even the ones visited only once.
-
Call each one and ask for copies
Ask for the report and, for scans, the images. Most places need the patient's consent, so keep a signed letter and an ID copy ready for a family member collecting on the patient's behalf.
-
Ask the lab about slides and blocks
The tissue taken at biopsy is kept at the lab as glass slides and a wax block. The new centre may want to look at them again. Ask the first lab how they release them and what paperwork they need.
-
Sort everything by date
Oldest at the back, newest at the front. Put a single page on top listing what is inside. A surgeon can read a tidy folder quickly.
-
Photograph every page
Save the photos on two phones in the family. If the folder is left in an auto or a bus, you still have the information.
Side by side
Which papers do you hand over, and which do you keep?
Keep the original
Hand over a copy
Biopsy and histopathology reports
Photocopies, clearly readable, all pages
Discharge summaries and operation notes
Copies for the file at the new centre
Scheme cards, insurance papers and ID
Copies, with the original shown when asked
Scan discs and films, which you may need again
A second disc or an online image link
Leave a number, we will call you
One field. No form to fill in, and no charge for the call.
Commonly believed
What do families often get wrong about old reports?
"The new hospital will do all the tests again anyway."
Sometimes a test is repeated, for example when a scan is old or unclear. Often it is not. Bringing everything lets the surgeon decide what is truly needed, instead of repeating tests because a report could not be found.
"A WhatsApp photo of the report is the same as the report."
A photo is useful for a first look or a phone discussion. It is not enough for planning an operation, because pages get cut off and scan images cannot be read from a photo of a screen.
"Asking for our own reports will offend the first doctor."
You have a right to copies of your own medical records. Asking is routine. Doctors expect patients to move between centres for surgery, and most hospitals have a records desk for exactly this.
On the request forms
What do the records-desk words mean?
- Slides and blocks
- The glass slides and the wax block holding the tissue from your biopsy. A second lab can look at them again without a new biopsy.
- Review or second read
- A pathologist or radiologist at the new centre looks again at your slides or scan images and writes their own report.
- DICOM
- The file format scan images come in. A disc or link in this format lets the surgeon scroll through the full scan, not just a few pictures.
- Discharge summary
- A short document from any past hospital stay, listing what was done, what was found and which medicines you went home on.
- Consent or authorisation letter
- A signed note from the patient allowing a named family member to collect records on their behalf.
Being straight with you
What if some records are lost or cannot be collected?
Bring what you have and tell the new team plainly what is missing. It is far better to arrive with a partial folder than to delay the visit while you chase one report. The surgeon will tell you which gaps actually matter.
When a test may have to be repeated
If the biopsy slides cannot be found, or a scan is too old to show the current picture, the team may ask for a new one. This is not a judgement on the first hospital. It is because an operation needs an up-to-date and complete view. Ask why a test is being repeated, and whether the result will change the plan.
Who this advice does not suit
If the patient is unwell right now, with severe pain, bleeding, vomiting or breathlessness, do not wait to collect paperwork. Go to the nearest emergency department and send the reports on later. Records can follow a patient. A sudden illness cannot wait for records.
If you are unsure what to bring, call the helpline before you travel. We will tell you what the surgical team needs to see first.Questions we are asked
Common questions about carrying medical records
Can a hospital refuse to give me my own reports?
You are entitled to copies of your medical records. Hospitals may ask for a written request, ID and a small copying fee, and it can take some time. If a family member is collecting, carry a signed consent letter from the patient. If a request stalls, ask to speak to the records desk or the medical superintendent's office.
Do I need the actual biopsy slides, or is the report enough?
It depends on the centre and the cancer. Many surgical teams like their own pathologist to review the slides before a major operation, because details on the report can change the plan. Ask the new centre before you travel, so you can request the slides and blocks from the first lab in good time.
My scan CD will not open. What should I do?
Bring it anyway, because hospital computers often read discs that home laptops cannot. Also ask the scan centre whether they can share the images through an online link or a pen drive. Keep the printed report with the disc, since the new team will read both together.
Should I send reports on WhatsApp before the appointment?
Sending clear photos ahead can help a team give you an early idea of what to expect and which tests may still be needed. It does not replace bringing the full folder on the day. Photograph each page flat, in good light, with nothing cut off at the edges.
Are reports in Telugu or from a small lab accepted?
Yes, bring them. A report is judged on what it says, not on where it came from. If a report is handwritten or hard to read, the team may ask for a fresh test, but they will look at what you have first. Tell the team if you need help understanding any page.
What about Aarogyasri or insurance papers?
Carry the scheme card or policy papers, Aadhaar, and any pre-authorisation letters in the same folder, with copies. Aarogyasri, CGHS, ECHS, EHS and cashless insurance each need their own paperwork, and missing one form can hold up approval for surgery. The helpline can tell you what your scheme asks for.
Will my slides be returned after the review?
Your paper originals should stay with you, because you only hand over copies. Slides and blocks sent for review are usually returned to you or to the first lab. Ask for a receipt when you hand them over, and ask when and how they will come back.
What records should I ask for when I am discharged?
Ask for the discharge summary, the operation note and the final tissue report, which often arrives a little later. Keep copies at home and give copies to your local doctor. These papers guide every later decision, including whether further treatment such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy is discussed.
Meet the Specialists
17+ senior cancer specialists. One panel for your case.
Trained at AIIMS, Tata Memorial, and leading international centres. Combined 150+ years of experience. Every complex case is reviewed by 3+ of them — together.
Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vinay Mamidala
MBBS, MS(General Surgery), M.Ch(Surgical Oncology), FMAS, FARIS(Ongoing)
Surgical Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Hematologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar
MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology), FALS Oncology
Surgical Oncologist
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Accreditation and empanelment
- NABH
- NABL
- ISO 9001:2015
- ArogyaSri empanelled
- CGHS accepted
- ECHS accepted
- EHS accepted
- Major cashless insurers
Paying for it
Insurance, schemes and payment
What you actually pay usually differs a great deal from the sticker figure.
AarogyasriEmpanelled. Bring the card and a referral where you have one.
CGHS / ECHS / EHSAccepted at CION centres for eligible treatment.
Cashless insuranceMost major insurers are empanelled. Pre-authorisation is handled by our desk.
Self-payItemised estimate given before treatment starts. No EMI scheme exists.
Where to find us
Our centres in and around Hyderabad
Addressed by landmark, because that is how this city navigates. A surgical consultation can be booked at any of these centres through one helpline, and your team will tell you where the operation itself takes place.
Warangal
Vizag
Sources
- NHS — How to access your health records
- National Cancer Institute — Finding health care services
- Cancer.Net — Seeking a second opinion
- Cancer Research UK — Surgery for cancer
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
Related pages
Second Surgical Opinion in HyderabadThe records you gather are what a second opinion is built onPlanning the Trip Around an Operation DateFit record collection into your travel planFollow-Up Closer to HomeWhich papers your local doctor needs after surgeryUnderstanding Your Pathology ReportWhat the tissue report in your folder describes
Talk to us
Not sure which reports the surgeon needs?
Tell us what has been found so far and where you were seen. We will tell you what to bring and help you reach the right specialist. One helpline serves every CION centre.