Medical Records

Patient Medical Records

The results of all laboratory tests, X-rays, other diagnostic studies, and medical treatment you have received while you are hospitalized or treated as an outpatient are documented. Also included are physician reports from examinations, general surgery, treatment and medications, and observations by nurses and other members of your health care team. This information is combined to make up your medical record.

If you have any questions regarding copies of your medical records, please contact the Medical Records Department at (218) 666-6213.

Obtaining Copies of Your Medical Records

Release of Information (ROI)

Records can be released to anyone that the patient authorizes (in writing). A valid authorization MUST contain the following information or the request will be returned:

When requests for medical records of a deceased patient are made, a death certificate must be presented to identify the next of kin. The next of kin in this situation can authorize release of the information. Identification should be verified with a picture ID such as a driver’s license.

Requests for medical records may be mailed or faxed to:
Cook Hospital
Medical Records Department
10 Fifth Street S.E.
Cook, MN 55723
Fax: (218) 666-6238

Medical Record Release Form

Authorization for Release of Medical Information: This PDF form is to be used when the patient or designated individual is requesting their Cook Hospital health information be sent to someone outside the institution or to themselves.

Fees

To compensate for the time and resources used to provide copies of medical records upon request, the Cook Hospital and Care Center will follow guidelines described in Minnesota Statute 144.292 Subd. 6. to establish applicable fees. For purposes of ongoing treatment, no fee will be charged.  Ongoing treatment includes information released to other providers, specialists, and healthcare facilities. Patients who request copies of their medical records will not be charged a fee, as long as the information is requested is 100 pages or less. Requests greater than 100 pages maybe charged the applicable per page fee and retrieval fee. Third party request for records (such as by attorney’s) will be subject to the per page and retrieval fees. In cases where a fee applies, pre-payment may be required.

Death Certificates

The Cook Hospital does not provide copies of death certificates. For information on how to obtain a copy of a death certificate, please contact the County’s Registers Office.

Privacy Policy

The following notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information.

View Privacy Policy »

About Amy Kemp, OTR/L, Occupation Therapy Supervisor

Amy graduated from St. Scholastica in 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology.  She then went on to graduate again from St. Scholastica in 2020 with her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy degree.  After graduation, she began working at the Cook Hospital and has been here for 4 years.

She enjoys having the opportunity that rural health provides to work with individuals across the lifespan.  Since starting at the Cook Hospital, Amy has become a Certified Lymphedema Therapist (CLT) and has been certified in LSVT-BIG for Parkinson’s Disease and other populations.  

In her free time, Amy enjoys the outdoors, being at the lake, reading, and spending time with her family. She is looking forward to continuing her career here at the Cook Hospital and welcomes all new patients.

 

About Carrie Rahikainen, PTA/L

Carrie is a 1992 graduate of the College of St. Scholastica where she earned her Bachelor’s  degree in Natural Science and minor in Psychology.  She continued her education at Lake Superior College where she earned her A.A.S. degree as a Physical Therapist Assistant in 1996. 

For the first four years after obtaining her degrees, Carrie and her husband lived and worked in Wausau, WI.  While in Wausau, she worked in various units specializing in long-term care, out-patient Orthopedics, in-patient and out-patient Psychology, specialized Dementia and Alzheimer’s units, and an Early Intervention/Pediatric Program. 

They then returned to the Iron Range, where both she and her husband were born and raised.  When returning to the area, Carrie was employed by St. Louis County Schools/Northland Special Education Cooperative.  For six years, she provided physical therapy services in various independent school districts, working with children from birth through the age of 21.

In February, 2006 she began her employment at the Cook Hospital and Rehabilitation and is a full-time employee.  Since starting her position at the Cook Hospital, she has been expanding her Physical Therapy skills by attending a variety of courses focusing on such things as Strain-Counter-strain Technique for pain management, Vestibular Rehabilitation, Therapeutic Exercise for the Geriatric Spine,  Manual treatment of the Lumbar Spine, and Kinesio-taping.

Carrie lives in Britt with her husband and three children, ages nine, ten, and twelve.  In her free time, she enjoys cross country skiing, reading, and supporting her children with their extra-curricular activities such as volleyball, basketball, baseball and Scouting.  As a family, they enjoy spending time on their pontoon boat, camping, hunting, and various types of fishing.

 

About Brian McCarthy, PT

Brian began working in Physical Therapy in 1984 as an enlisted member of the U.S. Air Force. After an honorable discharge in 1988 returned to Duluth, MN where he attended ST. Scholastica and eventually PT school at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse where he graduated in 1993 with honors.

He then began work as a PT at St. Mary’s “Center Therapy” in Duluth in Occupational Medicine, Chronic Pain Management, Orthopedic-Spine, and the Adult Neuro-Rehab departments. In 1996, Brian began working as a contract therapist traveling within the Northern Midwest. During this time he worked in home care, private practice, and out-patient orthopedic settings. His last assignment in 1998 lead him to Cook where he continues to work as the Director of Rehabilitation and physical therapist.

Brian’s career goals are to be well-rounded in all areas of physical therapy, but is especially interested in manual therapy techniques related to orthopedics conditions and wound care interventions. Brian is an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association, National Ski Patrol, and hospitals wound care team. Brian has attended, and continues to attend, yearly continuing education in the field of Physical Therapy and wound care to bring the most current and up-to-date treatment methodologies to the patients he treats.

About Stephanie Elling, PT, DPT, CIMT

Stephanie graduated from The College of St. Scholastica in 2013 with a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Physiology and again in 2016 with a Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy.

After graduation she worked at a private practice in Cloquet, MN in outpatient orthopedics for over two years. Here she gained experience in post-surgical care, manual therapy, return to sport training, and aquatic rehab. Then she transitioned into travel therapy and completed contracts across Minnesota, Wisconsin and Florida in skilled nursing, memory care, pediatrics, acute care at critical access hospitals, and multiple outpatient clinics treating a wide range of orthopedic and neurological conditions.

Stephanie has additional training in TMJ, headaches, sports rehab, dementia care, pediatrics, kinesiotape and manual therapy techniques. Stephanie has a passion for rural healthcare and enjoys working with patients of all ages and diagnoses.

She is excited to join the rehabilitation team at Cook Hospital and looks forward to getting to serve to Cook community and surrounding areas.