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123100. The Legislature finds and declares that every person having ultimate responsibility for decisions respecting his or her own health care also possesses a concomitant right of access to complete information respecting his or her condition and care provided. Similarly, persons having responsibility for decisions respecting the health care of others should, in general, have access to information on the patient's condition and care. It is, therefore, the intent of the Legislature in enacting this chapter to establish procedures for providing access to health care records or summaries of those records by patients and by those persons having responsibility for decisions respecting the health care of others.

123105. As used in this chapter:

(a) "Health care provider" means any of the following:

(1) A health facility licensed pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1250) of Division 2.

(2) A clinic licensed pursuant to Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1200) of Division 2.

(3) A home health agency licensed pursuant to Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 1725) of Division 2.

(4) A physician and surgeon licensed pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code or pursuant to the Osteopathic Act.

(5) A podiatrist licensed pursuant to Article 22 (commencing with Section 2460) of Chapter 5 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code.

(6) A dentist licensed pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 1600) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code.

(7) A psychologist licensed pursuant to Chapter 6.6 (commencing with Section 2900) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code.

(8) An optometrist licensed pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 3000) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code.

(9) A chiropractor licensed pursuant to the Chiropractic Initiative Act.

(10) A marriage, family, and child counselor licensed pursuant to Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 4980) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code.

(11) A clinical social worker licensed pursuant to Chapter 14 (commencing with Section 4990) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code.

(b) "Mental health records" means patient records, or discrete portions thereof, specifically relating to evaluation or treatment of a mental disorder. "Mental health records" includes, but is not limited to, all alcohol and drug abuse records.

(c) "Patient" means a patient or former patient of a health care provider.

(d) "Patient records" means records in any form or medium maintained by, or in the custody or control of, a health care provider relating to the health history, diagnosis, or condition of a patient, or relating to treatment provided or proposed to be provided to the patient. "Patient records" includes only records pertaining to the patient requesting the records or whose representative requests the records. "Patient records" does not include information given in confidence to a health care provider by a person other than another health care provider or the patient, and that material may be removed from any records prior to inspection or copying under Section 123110 or 123115. "Patient records" does not include information contained in aggregate form, such as indices, registers, or logs.

(e) "Patient's representative" or "representative" means a parent or the guardian of a minor who is a patient, or the guardian or conservator of the person of an adult patient, or the beneficiary or personal representative of a deceased patient.

(f) "Alcohol and drug abuse records" means patient records, or discrete portions thereof, specifically relating to evaluation and treatment of alcoholism or drug abuse.

123110.

(a) Notwithstanding Section 5328 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and except as provided in Sections 123115 and 123120, any adult patient of a health care provider, any minor patient authorized by law to consent to medical treatment, and any patient representative shall be entitled to inspect patient records upon presenting to the health care provider a written request for those records and upon payment of reasonable clerical costs incurred in locating and making the records available. However, a patient who is a minor shall be entitled to inspect patient records pertaining only to health care of a type for which the minor is lawfully authorized to consent. A health care provider shall permit this inspection during business hours within five working days after receipt of the written request. The inspection shall be conducted by the patient or patient's representative requesting the inspection, who may be accompanied by one other person of his or her choosing.

(b) Additionally, any patient or patient's representative shall be entitled to copies of all or any portion of the patient records that he or she has a right to inspect, upon presenting a written request to the health care provider specifying the records to be copied, together with a fee to defray the cost of copying, that shall not exceed twenty-five cents ($0.25) per page or fifty cents ($0.50) per page for records that are copied from microfilm and any additional reasonable clerical costs incurred in making the records available. The health care provider shall ensure that the copies are transmitted within 15 days after receiving the written request.

(c) Copies of X-rays or tracings derived from electrocardiography, electroencephalography, or electromyography need not be provided to the patient or patient's representative under this section, if the original X-rays or tracings are transmitted to another health care provider upon written request of the patient or patient's representative and within 15 days after receipt of the request. The request shall specify the name and address of the health care provider to whom the records are to be delivered. All reasonable costs, not exceeding actual costs, incurred by a health care provider in providing copies pursuant to this subdivision may be charged to the patient or representative requesting the copies.

(d) This section shall not be construed to preclude a health care provider from requiring reasonable verification of identity prior to permitting inspection or copying of patient records, provided this requirement is not used oppressively or discriminatorily to frustrate or delay compliance with this section. Nothing in this chapter shall be deemed to supersede any rights that a patient or representative might otherwise have or exercise under Section 1158 of the Evidence Code or any other provision of law. Nothing in this chapter shall require a health care provider to retain records longer than required by applicable statutes or administrative regulations.

(e) This chapter shall not be construed to render a health care provider liable for the quality of his or her records or the copies provided in excess of existing law and regulations with respect to the quality of medical records. A health care provider shall not be liable to the patient or any other person for any consequences that result from disclosure of patient records as required by this chapter. A health care provider shall not discriminate against classes or categories of providers in the transmittal of X-rays or other patient records, or copies of these X-rays or records, to other providers as authorized by this section. Every health care provider shall adopt policies and establish procedures for the uniform transmittal of X-rays and other patient records that effectively prevent the discrimination described in this subdivision. A health care provider may establish reasonable conditions, including a reasonable deposit fee, to ensure the return of original X-rays transmitted to another health care provider, provided the conditions do not discriminate on the basis of, or in a manner related to, the license of the provider to which the X-rays are transmitted.

(f) Any health care provider described in paragraphs (4) to (10), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 123105 who willfully violates this chapter is guilty of unprofessional conduct. Any health care provider described in paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 123105 that willfully violates this chapter is guilty of an infraction punishable by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100). The state agency, board, or commission that issued the health care provider's professional or institutional license shall consider a violation as grounds for disciplinary action with respect to the licensure, including suspension or revocation of the license or certificate.

(g) This section shall be construed as prohibiting a health care provider from withholding patient records or summaries of patient records because of an unpaid bill for health care services. Any health care provider who willfully withholds patient records or summaries of patient records because of an unpaid bill for health care services shall be subject to the sanctions specified in subdivision (f).

123111.

(a) Any adult patient who inspects his or her patient records pursuant to Section 123110 shall have the right to provide to the health care provider a written addendum with respect to any item or statement in his or her records that the patient believes to be incomplete or incorrect.

The addendum shall be limited to 250 words per alleged incomplete or incorrect item in the patient's record and shall clearly indicate in writing that the patient wishes the addendum to be made a part of his or her record.

(b) The health care provider shall attach the addendum to the patient's records and shall include that addendum whenever the health care provider makes a disclosure of the allegedly incomplete or incorrect portion of patient's records to any third party.

(c) The receipt of information in a patient's addendum which contains defamatory or otherwise unlawful language, and the inclusion of this information in the patient's records, in accordance with subdivision (b), shall not, in and of itself, subject the health care provider to liability in any civil, criminal, administrative, or other proceeding.

(d) Subdivision (f) of Section 123110 and Section 123120 shall be applicable with respect to any violation of this section by a health care provider.

123115.

(a) The representative of a minor shall not be entitled to inspect or obtain copies of the minor's patient records in either of the following circumstances:

(1) With respect to which the minor has a right of inspection under Section 123110.

(2) Where the health care provider determines that access to the patient records requested by the representative would have a detrimental effect on the provider's professional relationship with the minor patient or the minor's physical safety or psychological well-being. The decision of the health care provider as to whether or not a minor's records are available for inspection under this section shall not attach any liability to the provider, unless the decision is found to be in bad faith.

(b) When a health care provider determines there is a substantial risk of significant adverse or detrimental consequences to a patient in seeing or receiving a copy of mental health records requested by the patient, the provider may decline to permit inspection or provide copies of the records to the patient, subject to the following conditions:

(1) The health care provider shall make a written record, to be included with the mental health records requested, noting the date of the request and explaining the health care provider's reason for refusing to permit inspection or provide copies of the records, including a description of the specific adverse or detrimental consequences to the patient that the provider anticipates would occur if inspection or copying were permitted.

(2) The health care provider shall permit inspection by, or provide copies of the mental health records to, a licensed physician and surgeon, licensed psychologist, licensed marriage and family therapist, or licensed clinical social worker, designated by request of the patient. Any marriage and family therapist registered intern, as defined in Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 4980) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, may not inspect the patient's mental health records or obtain copies thereof, except pursuant to the direction or supervision of a licensed professional specified in subdivision (f) of Section 4980.40 of the Business and Professions Code. Prior to providing copies of mental health records to a marriage and family therapist registered intern, a receipt for those records shall be signed by the supervising licensed professional. The licensed physician and surgeon, licensed psychologist, licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed clinical social worker, or marriage and family therapist registered intern to whom the records are provided for inspection or copying shall not permit inspection or copying by the patient.

(3) The health care provider shall inform the patient of the provider's refusal to permit him or her to inspect or obtain copies of the requested records, and inform the patient of the right to require the provider to permit inspection by, or provide copies to, a licensed physician and surgeon, licensed psychologist, licensed marriage and family therapist, or licensed clinical social worker, designated by written authorization of the patient.

(4) The health care provider shall indicate in the mental health records of the patient whether the request was made under paragraph (2).

123120. Any patient or representative aggrieved by a violation of Section 123110 may, in addition to any other remedy provided by law, bring an action against the health care provider to enforce the obligations prescribed by Section 123110. Any judgment rendered in the action may, in the discretion of the court, include an award of costs and reasonable attorney fees to the prevailing party.

123125.

(a) This chapter shall not require a health care provider to permit inspection or provide copies of alcohol and drug abuse records where, or in a manner, prohibited by Section 408 of the federal Drug Abuse Office and Treatment Act of 1972 (Public Law 92-255) or Section 333 of the federal Comprehensive Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation Act of 1970 (Public Law 91-616), or by regulations adopted pursuant to these federal laws. Alcohol and drug abuse records subject to these federal laws shall also be subject to this chapter, to the extent that these federal laws do not prohibit disclosure of the records. All other alcohol and drug abuse records shall be fully subject to this chapter.

(b) This chapter shall not require a health care provider to permit inspection or provide copies of records or portions of records where or in a manner prohibited by existing law respecting the confidentiality of information regarding communicable disease carriers.

123130.

(a) A health care provider may prepare a summary of the record, according to the requirements of this section, for inspection and copying by a patient. If the health care provider chooses to prepare a summary of the record rather than allowing access to the entire record, he or she shall make the summary of the record available to the patient within 10 working days from the date of the patient's request. However, if more time is needed because the record is of extraordinary length or because the patient was discharged from a licensed health facility within the last 10 days, the health care provider shall notify the patient of this fact and the date that the summary will be completed, but in no case shall more than 30 days elapse between the request by the patient and the delivery of the summary. In preparing the summary of the record the health care provider shall not be obligated to include information that is not contained in the original record.

(b) A health care provider may confer with the patient in an attempt to clarify the patient's purpose and goal in obtaining his or her record. If as a consequence the patient requests information about only certain injuries, illnesses, or episodes, this subdivision shall not require the provider to prepare the summary required by this subdivision for other than the injuries, illnesses, or episodes so requested by the patient. The summary shall contain for each injury, illness, or episode any information included in the record relative to the following:

(1) Chief complaint or complaints including pertinent history.

(2) Findings from consultations and referrals to other health care providers.

(3) Diagnosis, where determined.

(4) Treatment plan and regimen including medications prescribed.

(5) Progress of the treatment.

(6) Prognosis including significant continuing problems or conditions.

(7) Pertinent reports of diagnostic procedures and tests and all discharge summaries.

(8) Objective findings from the most recent physical examination, such as blood pressure, weight, and actual values from routine laboratory tests.

(c) This section shall not be construed to require any medical records to be written or maintained in any manner not otherwise required by law.

(d) The summary shall contain a list of all current medications prescribed, including dosage, and any sensitivities or allergies to medications recorded by the provider.

(e) Subdivision (c) of Section 123110 shall be applicable whether or not the health care provider elects to prepare a summary of the record.

(f) The health care provider may charge no more than a reasonable fee based on actual time and cost for the preparation of the summary. The cost shall be based on a computation of the actual time spent preparing the summary for availability to the patient or the patient' s representative. It is the intent of the Legislature that summaries of the records be made available at the lowest possible cost to the patient.

123135. Except as otherwise provided by law, nothing in this chapter shall be construed to grant greater access to individual patient records by any person, firm, association, organization, partnership, business trust, company, corporation, or municipal or other public corporation, or government officer or agency. Therefore, this chapter does not do any of the following:

(a) Relieve employers of the requirements of the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (Part 2.6 (commencing with Section 56) of Division 1 of the Civil Code).

(b) Relieve any person subject to the Insurance Information and Privacy Protection Act (Article 6.6 (commencing with Section 791) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 1 of the Insurance Code) from the requirements of that act.

(c) Relieve government agencies of the requirements of the Information Practices Act of 1977 (Title 1.8 (commencing with Section 1798) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code).

123140. The Information Practices Act of 1977 (Title 1.8 (commencing with Section 1798) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code) shall prevail over this chapter with respect to records maintained by a state agency.

123145.

(a) Providers of health services that are licensed pursuant to Sections 1205, 1253, 1575 and 1726 have an obligation, if the licensee ceases operation, to preserve records for a minimum of seven years following discharge of the patient, except that the records of unemancipated minors shall be kept at least one year after the minor has reached the age of 18 years, and in any case, not less than seven years.

(b) The department or any person injured as a result of the licensee's abandonment of health records may bring an action in a proper court for the amount of damage suffered as a result thereof. In the event that the licensee is a corporation or partnership that is dissolved, the person injured may take action against that corporation's or partnership's principle officers of record at the time of dissolution.

(c) Abandoned means violating subdivision (a) and leaving patients treated by the licensee without access to medical information to which they are entitled pursuant to Section 123110.

123148. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a health care professional at whose request a test is performed shall, upon a written or oral request of a patient who is the subject of a clinical laboratory test, provide the patient with the results of the test in plain language conveyed in the manner deemed most appropriate by the health care professional who requested the test. The test results to be reported to the patient pursuant to this section shall be recorded in the patient's medical record and shall be reported to the patient within a reasonable time period after the test results are received at the offices of the health care professional who requested the test.

123149.

(a) Providers of health services, licensed pursuant to Sections 1205, 1253, 1575, and 1726, that utilize electronic recordkeeping systems only, shall comply with the additional requirements of this section. These additional requirements do not apply to patient records if hard copy versions of the patient records are retained.

(b) Any use of electronic recordkeeping to store patient records shall ensure the safety and integrity of those records at least to the extent of hard copy records. All providers set forth in subdivision (a) shall ensure the safety and integrity of all electronic media used to store patient records by employing an offsite backup storage system, an image mechanism that is able to copy signature documents, and a mechanism to ensure that once a record is input, it is unalterable.

(c) Original hard copies of patient records may be destroyed once the record has been electronically stored.

(d) The printout of the computerized version shall be considered the original as defined in Section 255 of the Evidence Code for purposes of providing copies to patients, the Division of Licensing and Certification, and for introduction into evidence in accordance with Sections 1550 and 1551 of the Evidence Code, in administrative or court proceedings.

(e) Access to electronically stored patient records shall be made available to the Division of Licensing and Certification staff promptly, upon request.

(f) This section does not exempt licensed clinics, health facilities, adult day health care centers, and home health agencies from the requirement of maintaining original copies of patient records that cannot be electronically stored.

(g) Any health care provider subject to this section, choosing to utilize an electronic recordkeeping system, shall develop and implement policies and procedures to include safeguards for confidentiality and unauthorized access to electronically stored patient health records, authentication by electronic signature keys, and systems maintenance.

(h) Nothing contained in this chapter shall affect the existing regulatory requirements for the access, use, disclosure, confidentiality, retention of record contents, and maintenance of health information in patient records by health care providers.

(i) This chapter does not prohibit any provider of health care services from maintaining or retaining patient records electronically.

123149.5.

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that all medical information transmitted during the delivery of health care via telemedicine, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 2290.5 of the Business and Professions Code, become part of the patient's medical record maintained by the licensed health care provider.

(b) This section shall not be construed to limit or waive any of the requirements of Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 123100) of Part 1 of Division 106 of the Health and Safety Code.

  123125.

(a) This chapter shall not require a health care provider to permit inspection or provide copies of alcohol and drug abuse records where, or in a manner, prohibited by Section 408 of the federal Drug Abuse Office and Treatment Act of 1972 (Public Law 92-255) or Section 333 of the federal Comprehensive Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation Act of 1970 (Public Law 91-616), or by regulations adopted pursuant to these federal laws. Alcohol and drug abuse records subject to these federal laws shall also be subject to this chapter, to the extent that these federal laws do not prohibit disclosure of the records. All other alcohol and drug abuse records shall be fully subject to this chapter.

(b) This chapter shall not require a health care provider to permit inspection or provide copies of records or portions of records where or in a manner prohibited by existing law respecting the confidentiality of information regarding communicable disease carriers.

123130.

(a) A health care provider may prepare a summary of the record, according to the requirements of this section, for inspection and copying by a patient. If the health care provider chooses to prepare a summary of the record rather than allowing access to the entire record, he or she shall make the summary of the record available to the patient within 10 working days from the date of the patient's request. However, if more time is needed because the record is of extraordinary length or because the patient was discharged from a licensed health facility within the last 10 days, the health care provider shall notify the patient of this fact and the date that the summary will be completed, but in no case shall more than 30 days elapse between the request by the patient and the delivery of the summary. In preparing the summary of the record the health care provider shall not be obligated to include information that is not contained in the original record.

(b) A health care provider may confer with the patient in an attempt to clarify the patient's purpose and goal in obtaining his or her record. If as a consequence the patient requests information about only certain injuries, illnesses, or episodes, this subdivision shall not require the provider to prepare the summary required by this subdivision for other than the injuries, illnesses, or episodes so requested by the patient. The summary shall contain for each injury, illness, or episode any information included in the record relative to the following:

(1) Chief complaint or complaints including pertinent history.

(2) Findings from consultations and referrals to other health care providers.

(3) Diagnosis, where determined.

(4) Treatment plan and regimen including medications prescribed.

(5) Progress of the treatment.

(6) Prognosis including significant continuing problems or conditions.

(7) Pertinent reports of diagnostic procedures and tests and all discharge summaries.

(8) Objective findings from the most recent physical examination, such as blood pressure, weight, and actual values from routine laboratory tests.

(c) This section shall not be construed to require any medical records to be written or maintained in any manner not otherwise required by law.

(d) The summary shall contain a list of all current medications prescribed, including dosage, and any sensitivities or allergies to medications recorded by the provider.

(e) Subdivision (c) of Section 123110 shall be applicable whether or not the health care provider elects to prepare a summary of the record.

(f) The health care provider may charge no more than a reasonable fee based on actual time and cost for the preparation of the summary. The cost shall be based on a computation of the actual time spent preparing the summary for availability to the patient or the patient' s representative. It is the intent of the Legislature that summaries of the records be made available at the lowest possible cost to the patient.

123135. Except as otherwise provided by law, nothing in this chapter shall be construed to grant greater access to individual patient records by any person, firm, association, organization, partnership, business trust, company, corporation, or municipal or other public corporation, or government officer or agency. Therefore, this chapter does not do any of the following:

(a) Relieve employers of the requirements of the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (Part 2.6 (commencing with Section 56) of Division 1 of the Civil Code).

(b) Relieve any person subject to the Insurance Information and Privacy Protection Act (Article 6.6 (commencing with Section 791) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 1 of the Insurance Code) from the requirements of that act.

(c) Relieve government agencies of the requirements of the Information Practices Act of 1977 (Title 1.8 (commencing with Section 1798) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code).

123140. The Information Practices Act of 1977 (Title 1.8 (commencing with Section 1798) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code) shall prevail over this chapter with respect to records maintained by a state agency.

123145.

(a) Providers of health services that are licensed pursuant to Sections 1205, 1253, 1575 and 1726 have an obligation, if the licensee ceases operation, to preserve records for a minimum of seven years following discharge of the patient, except that the records of unemancipated minors shall be kept at least one year after the minor has reached the age of 18 years, and in any case, not less than seven years.

(b) The department or any person injured as a result of the licensee's abandonment of health records may bring an action in a proper court for the amount of damage suffered as a result thereof. In the event that the licensee is a corporation or partnership that is dissolved, the person injured may take action against that corporation's or partnership's principle officers of record at the time of dissolution.

(c) Abandoned means violating subdivision (a) and leaving patients treated by the licensee without access to medical information to which they are entitled pursuant to Section 123110.

123148. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a health care professional at whose request a test is performed shall, upon a written or oral request of a patient who is the subject of a clinical laboratory test, provide the patient with the results of the test in plain language conveyed in the manner deemed most appropriate by the health care professional who requested the test. The test results to be reported to the patient pursuant to this section shall be recorded in the patient's medical record and shall be reported to the patient within a reasonable time period after the test results are received at the offices of the health care professional who requested the test.

123149.

(a) Providers of health services, licensed pursuant to Sections 1205, 1253, 1575, and 1726, that utilize electronic recordkeeping systems only, shall comply with the additional requirements of this section. These additional requirements do not apply to patient records if hard copy versions of the patient records are retained.

(b) Any use of electronic recordkeeping to store patient records shall ensure the safety and integrity of those records at least to the extent of hard copy records. All providers set forth in subdivision (a) shall ensure the safety and integrity of all electronic media used to store patient records by employing an offsite backup storage system, an image mechanism that is able to copy signature documents, and a mechanism to ensure that once a record is input, it is unalterable.

(c) Original hard copies of patient records may be destroyed once the record has been electronically stored.

(d) The printout of the computerized version shall be considered the original as defined in Section 255 of the Evidence Code for purposes of providing copies to patients, the Division of Licensing and Certification, and for introduction into evidence in accordance with Sections 1550 and 1551 of the Evidence Code, in administrative or court proceedings.

(e) Access to electronically stored patient records shall be made available to the Division of Licensing and Certification staff promptly, upon request.

(f) This section does not exempt licensed clinics, health facilities, adult day health care centers, and home health agencies from the requirement of maintaining original copies of patient records that cannot be electronically stored.

(g) Any health care provider subject to this section, choosing to utilize an electronic recordkeeping system, shall develop and implement policies and procedures to include safeguards for confidentiality and unauthorized access to electronically stored patient health records, authentication by electronic signature keys, and systems maintenance.

(h) Nothing contained in this chapter shall affect the existing regulatory requirements for the access, use, disclosure, confidentiality, retention of record contents, and maintenance of health information in patient records by health care providers.

(i) This chapter does not prohibit any provider of health care services from maintaining or retaining patient records electronically.

123149.5.

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that all medical information transmitted during the delivery of health care via telemedicine, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 2290.5 of the Business and Professions Code, become part of the patient's medical record maintained by the licensed health care provider.

(b) This section shall not be construed to limit or waive any of the requirements of Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 123100) of Part 1 of Division 106 of the Health and Safety Code.

This code is available for easy printing in PDF format (47K).

Sample first and second request letters are available in plain text and PDF format.

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