The Texas Medical Practice Act (TMLA) and the Texas Administrative Code (TAC) govern medical records requests from physicians in the state of Texas. These laws give you the right to access your medical records, and they also specify the procedures that physicians must follow when responding to requests for medical records.
Under the TMLA, you have the right to:
- Obtain copies of your medical records
- Have your medical records transferred to another physician or healthcare provider
- Inspect your medical records
- Request corrections to your medical records
- Under the TAC, physicians must:
- Respond to requests for medical records within 15 business days
- Charge a reasonable fee for copying medical records
- Provide a summary of your medical records if you request it
- Refuse to release your medical records if they believe that releasing the records would be harmful to your physical, mental, or emotional health
If you have any questions about your rights to medical records, you should contact us at (210) 361-9796 or at the link provided here.
Additional resources that you may find helpful:
Texas Medical Board: https://www.tmb.state.tx.us/
Texas Department of Insurance: https://www.tdi.texas.gov/
HIPAA Privacy Rule: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individuals/guidance-materials-for-consumers/index.html