97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB0953

 

Introduced 01/31/11, by Rep. Michael J. Madigan

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
735 ILCS 5/8-2001  from Ch. 110, par. 8-2001

    Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the examination of health care records.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB0953LRB097 03768 AJO 43805 b

1    AN ACT concerning civil law.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Code of Civil Procedure is amended by
5changing Section 8-2001 as follows:
 
6    (735 ILCS 5/8-2001)  (from Ch. 110, par. 8-2001)
7    Sec. 8-2001. Examination of health care records.
8    (a) In this Section:
9    "Health care facility" or "facility" means a public or
10private hospital, ambulatory surgical treatment center,
11nursing home, independent practice association, or physician
12hospital organization, or any other entity where health care
13services are provided to any person. The The term does not
14include a health care practitioner.
15    "Health care practitioner" means any health care
16practitioner, including a physician, dentist, podiatrist,
17advanced practice nurse, physician assistant, clinical
18psychologist, or clinical social worker. The term includes a
19medical office, health care clinic, health department, group
20practice, and any other organizational structure for a licensed
21professional to provide health care services. The term does not
22include a health care facility.
23    (b) Every private and public health care facility shall,

 

 

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1upon the request of any patient who has been treated in such
2health care facility, or any person, entity, or organization
3presenting a valid authorization for the release of records
4signed by the patient or the patient's legally authorized
5representative, permit the patient, his or her health care
6practitioner, authorized attorney, or any person, entity, or
7organization presenting a valid authorization for the release
8of records signed by the patient or the patient's legally
9authorized representative to examine the health care facility
10patient care records, including but not limited to the history,
11bedside notes, charts, pictures and plates, kept in connection
12with the treatment of such patient, and permit copies of such
13records to be made by him or her or his or her health care
14practitioner or authorized attorney.
15    (c) Every health care practitioner shall, upon the request
16of any patient who has been treated by the health care
17practitioner, or any person, entity, or organization
18presenting a valid authorization for the release of records
19signed by the patient or the patient's legally authorized
20representative, permit the patient and the patient's health
21care practitioner or authorized attorney, or any person,
22entity, or organization presenting a valid authorization for
23the release of records signed by the patient or the patient's
24legally authorized representative, to examine and copy the
25patient's records, including but not limited to those relating
26to the diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, history, charts,

 

 

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1pictures and plates, kept in connection with the treatment of
2such patient.
3    (d) A request for copies of the records shall be in writing
4and shall be delivered to the administrator or manager of such
5health care facility or to the health care practitioner. The
6person (including patients, health care practitioners and
7attorneys) requesting copies of records shall reimburse the
8facility or the health care practitioner at the time of such
9copying for all reasonable expenses, including the costs of
10independent copy service companies, incurred in connection
11with such copying not to exceed a $20 handling charge for
12processing the request and the actual postage or shipping
13charge, if any, plus: (1) for paper copies 75 cents per page
14for the first through 25th pages, 50 cents per page for the
1526th through 50th pages, and 25 cents per page for all pages in
16excess of 50 (except that the charge shall not exceed $1.25 per
17page for any copies made from microfiche or microfilm; records
18retrieved from scanning, digital imaging, electronic
19information or other digital format do not qualify as
20microfiche or microfilm retrieval for purposes of calculating
21charges); and (2) for electronic records, retrieved from a
22scanning, digital imaging, electronic information or other
23digital format in a electronic document, a charge of 50% of the
24per page charge for paper copies under subdivision (d)(1). This
25per page charge includes the cost of each CD Rom, DVD, or other
26storage media. Records already maintained in an electronic or

 

 

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1digital format shall be provided in an electronic format when
2so requested. If the records system does not allow for the
3creation or transmission of an electronic or digital record,
4then the facility or practitioner shall inform the requester in
5writing of the reason the records can not be provided
6electronically. The written explanation may be included with
7the production of paper copies, if the requester chooses to
8order paper copies. These rates shall be automatically adjusted
9as set forth in Section 8-2006. The facility or health care
10practitioner may, however, charge for the reasonable cost of
11all duplication of record material or information that cannot
12routinely be copied or duplicated on a standard commercial
13photocopy machine such as x-ray films or pictures.
14    (e) The requirements of this Section shall be satisfied
15within 30 days of the receipt of a written request by a patient
16or by his or her legally authorized representative, health care
17practitioner, authorized attorney, or any person, entity, or
18organization presenting a valid authorization for the release
19of records signed by the patient or the patient's legally
20authorized representative. If the facility or health care
21practitioner needs more time to comply with the request, then
22within 30 days after receiving the request, the facility or
23health care practitioner must provide the requesting party with
24a written statement of the reasons for the delay and the date
25by which the requested information will be provided. In any
26event, the facility or health care practitioner must provide

 

 

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1the requested information no later than 60 days after receiving
2the request.
3    (f) A health care facility or health care practitioner must
4provide the public with at least 30 days prior notice of the
5closure of the facility or the health care practitioner's
6practice. The notice must include an explanation of how copies
7of the facility's records may be accessed by patients. The
8notice may be given by publication in a newspaper of general
9circulation in the area in which the health care facility or
10health care practitioner is located.
11    (g) Failure to comply with the time limit requirement of
12this Section shall subject the denying party to expenses and
13reasonable attorneys' fees incurred in connection with any
14court ordered enforcement of the provisions of this Section.
15(Source: P.A. 94-155, eff. 1-1-06; 95-478, eff. 1-1-08 (changed
16from 8-27-07 by P.A. 95-480); 95-480, eff. 1-1-08.)