Medical Records Laws in Washington

Washington

Medical Records Custodian & Retention Laws

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Washington Medical Record Retention Law:
https://wmc.wa.gov

• * Retention of Records- There is no general law in Washington requiring a practitioner to retain a patient’s medical record for a specific period of time.
• * The Commission concurs with the Washington State Medical Association recommendation that practitioners should retain medical records and x-rays for at least:
  ten years from the date of a patient’s last visit, prescription refill, telephone contact, test or other patient contact
  21 years from the date of a minor patient’s birth
  six years from the date of a patient’s death
  
  indefinitely, if the practitioner has reason to believe:
  the patient is incompetent
  there are any problems with a patient’s care
  the patient may be involved in litigation

 

Cost
https://apps.leg.wa.gov

* May charge a reasonable fee for providing the health care information and is not required to honor an authorization until the fee is paid.

* Upon request of a patient or a patient's personal representative, a health care facility or health care provider shall provide the patient or representative with one copy of the patient's health care information free of charge if the patient is appealing the denial of federal supplemental security income or social security disability benefits. The patient or representative may complete a disclosure authorization specifying the health care information requested and provide it to the health care facility or health care provider. The health care facility or health care provider may provide the health care information in either paper or electronic format.

* A health care facility or health care provider is not required to provide a patient or a patient's personal representative with a free copy of health care information that has previously been provided free of charge pursuant to a request within the preceding two years.

Washington Medical Commission
https://wmc.wa.gov/licensing