Fax Medical Records Online
Send personal medical records, prescriptions, and health documents by fax. Free, fast, and easy from any device.
Last updated: May 2026
Important: FaxTerra Is Not HIPAA-Certified
Before anything else: **FaxTerra is not a HIPAA-certified service**, and we do not sign Business Associate Agreements (BAAs). This page is written for individuals sending their own medical records (patient-to-provider, patient-to-pharmacy, patient-to-insurer) where HIPAA rules apply to the *receiving* provider, not the sending patient. If you are a covered entity (a hospital, clinic, pharmacy, insurer, or any provider regulated by HHS) transmitting PHI under HIPAA, you need a fax provider that signs a BAA — examples include Documo (mFax), Updox, eFax Protect, or SRFax. Send patients to those services, not to FaxTerra.
Why Healthcare Still Uses Fax
Despite years of "fax is dying" headlines, healthcare runs on fax. Industry analysts estimate U.S. healthcare transmits between 9 and 17 billion fax pages per year. The reason is structural: the HIPAA Security Rule (45 CFR § 164.312) treats fax (point-to-point telephony) as an acceptable channel for protected health information, while email requires layered encryption, recipient setup, and key management that smaller practices rarely implement. Faxing is the lowest-coordination channel for cross-organization PHI exchange — no shared portal account, no encryption-key swap, no DirectTrust HISP — just a phone number. Until something replaces that property (and despite years of effort, nothing has at scale), healthcare faxing persists.
Common Personal Medical Documents to Fax
As a patient, you may need to fax:
- **Medical records requests** to a previous provider, with the patient release form they require
- **Authorization to release medical information** (often a HIPAA-required form, signed by you)
- **Prescription transfer requests** to a pharmacy — though most pharmacies now use e-prescribing networks (Surescripts), some still require fax for controlled substances or transferred prescriptions
- **Prior authorization** documents to insurers for specialty medications
- **Insurance claim** appeals and supporting medical documentation
- **Disability or FMLA** medical certifications to employers
- **Test results** you have on hand, faxed to a new provider
The receiving party is the regulated entity — they are responsible for HIPAA-compliant handling on their end. Your role as the patient is to send accurate, complete documents and verify you are sending to the correct number.
How to Fax Medical Records Securely with FaxTerra
Verify the recipient's fax number directly with their office (call the receptionist; never trust a number on a third-party site). Upload your documents as PDF or photo. Use "High" quality so handwriting, signatures, and form details are legible. Send. FaxTerra encrypts transmission to the carrier (TLS 1.2+), encrypts documents at rest (AES-256), and deletes documents after delivery confirmation. You will receive an email confirmation when the receiving fax machine accepts your transmission. Keep the confirmation as part of your personal records.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is FaxTerra HIPAA compliant?
No. FaxTerra does not sign Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) and is not HIPAA-certified. We are designed for individual patient use, where HIPAA obligations apply to the receiving provider. Covered entities (hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, insurers) should use a HIPAA-compliant fax service like Documo, SRFax, eFax Protect, or Updox — all of which sign BAAs.
Can I as a patient send my own medical records via FaxTerra?
Yes. HIPAA obligations apply to covered entities and business associates — not to patients sending their own records. You can fax your own PHI to your providers, insurers, and pharmacies using FaxTerra. The receiving party is responsible for HIPAA-compliant handling on their end. Always verify the recipient fax number directly with the office.
Are my medical documents secure?
Transmissions use TLS 1.2+ to our carrier, documents are encrypted at rest with AES-256, and documents are deleted after delivery confirmation. This is strong security, but it is not the same as HIPAA certification. For HIPAA-covered use, see a BAA-signing provider listed above.
Can I fax prescriptions?
Most modern pharmacies use the Surescripts e-prescribing network instead of fax, so prescription transfers and new prescriptions typically don't require fax anymore. Some pharmacies still accept fax for controlled-substance transfers or when the prescribing system is down. Check with the receiving pharmacy first — and for new prescriptions, your prescriber should send directly via e-prescribing, not via you.