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Georgia Rules Governing Patient Access to
Medical Records
Patients have the right to obtain a “complete
and current copy” of their records upon written
request. This applies to records maintained by
public and private hospitals, health maintenance
organizations and a variety of health care
practitioners, including physicians, osteopaths,
dentists, nurses, podiatrists, and
psychologists. The record includes
“evaluations, diagnoses, prognoses, laboratory
reports, X-rays, prescriptions, and other
technical information used in assessing the
patient’s condition, or the pertinent portion of
the record relating to a specific condition or a
summary of the record.” The record does not
have to be released if the health care provider
determines that release would be “detrimental to
the physical or mental health of the patient.”
However, the record must still be given to
another health care provider if requested by the
patient in writing. The patient may be required
to pay reasonable costs of copying and mailing.
Georgia Code Annotated Sections 3 1-33-1 to
31-33-2. |
