Medical records: electronic delivery.

Existing law requires certain enumerated health care providers to make all of a patient's records under their custody or control available for inspection and copying by an attorney at law, or his or her representative, who presents a written authorization therefor, as specified. Existing law provides that a person or entity that fails to make the records available 5 days after the presentation of the written authorization may be subject to reasonable expenses incurred to enforce these provisions. Existing law further authorizes any person or enumerated health care provider to charge the person whose written authorization required the availability of the records for the reasonable costs incurred in making the patient records available, as specified. This bill would require a health care provider, as defined, to provide an electronic copy of an electronic medical record or electronic health record, when an electronic a copy is requested, if the medical record exists in digital or electronic format and the medical record can be delivered electronically. The bill would extend the period following presentation of the written request and authorization after which a health care provider that fails to make the records available may be subject to reasonable expenses, including court costs, incurred to enforce these provisions from 5 days to 20 business days. The bill would additionally authorize a health care provider that provides electronic copies of medical records to charge the person whose written request required the availability of the records for the reasonable costs incurred to provide the electronic copies, as specified.