Any idea if and where these records are?

[grumpyoldlady]

Does anyone have any idea where I might start searching for medical records from the 60's from Deaconess Hospital? After they closed, the records had to go somplace, but where?

[Blueidone]

Just a guess...but I think a lot of medical records are at the old Herman Kiefer Hospital.

Or...they got dumped in some vacant lot :-)

[Retroit]

I doubt if records from that long ago have been kept, but in the interest of at least trying...

If you can find out what church this hospital was associated with [[Mack Avenue Evangelical?) and find out where they moved to, or what other church they merged with, or what other chruch they branched off into, etc., they would probably be the only ones that would have kept the records.

[PlymouthRes]

Good guess, Blue, and probably most accurate.

I was born at Art Center Hospital and adopted in 1960. My records [[at least the ones I have been able to access) are all located at Herman Kiefer Hospital in Detroit, as it was and is the final repository for all the records from the "cottage" hospitals that existed around Detroit. If you were in the adoption or orphanage system, chances are a great deal exists on you there.

Retroit-

I don't know where you got the idea that 50 year old information was kept on stone tablets or something, but you couldn't be more wrong about how far back the records go for some residents. Although the records were kept by hand, they were meticulously maintained by the workers that kept them, at least from what I've seen of the documents I've been able to obtain about me.

After all, 1960 was in the 20th century, so it's not like some lost time zone, dude.

[Retroit]

I hope you're right. Certainly, if you are looking for just vital records [[birth and death certificates), Kiefer is the place to go. Whether they have every medical record from every doctor's visit for every resident of Detroit for the past ??? years has yet to be determined.

City of Detroit Health Department
Herman Kiefer Health Complex
1151 Taylor St, Rm 104B
Detroit, MI 48202
[[313) 876-4049

[Ray1936]

http://www.deathindexes.com/index.html

For vital stats in all 50 states.

[grumpyoldlady]

Not looking for vital stats...birth date, parents, etc. Looking for important info about a condition, hospitalization and treatment at age 9 months. Mom tells a different story every time she's asked and we need to know the truth.

Retired Deaconess nurse said try Herman Kiefer.

I called Cottage Hospital today and was told "we don't keep records longer than 10 years". When asked if they might be stored someplace else, she didn't have a clue. She had no idea either about Deaconess records.

I will try Herman Kiefer next. Thanks for all the leads and suggestions.

[eriedearie]

Grumpy - I think maybe Ray was leading you to this link with his post -

http://71.159.22.28/Departments/Heal...3/Default.aspx

It may be a good place to start.

Let us know how you make out.

[Retroit]

Another long shot: your family doctor [[at the time) may have had some records separate from the hospital. The doctor has probably since retired and the office has probably closed or move, and, again, I doubt they keep records from that long ago, but it might be worth a try.

Also, to PlymouthRes, the reason they might have your records is because adoption is a legal process that leaves a paper trail with different record-keeping requirements, whereas most hospital visits are private matters. [[But I reserve the right to be wrong. )

[Trumpeteer]

http://www.deathindexes.com/index.html

For vital stats in all 50 states.

THANKS for the link Ray as I just found my Great-Grandfather's Death Certificate from Detroit from 1919. Typical story for that period as he was only 40 and died on their kitchen table as the Dr. was trying to remove a carbunkle and used too much ether. The certificate confirms that story which is what my now passed Dad had told me.