Medical Records

Use Medical Record Templates With Care - 10/07/2022

Some medical offices opt to use templates in creating electronic medical records. While templates can be wonderful timesavers, do not use them without precaution.

Copy Fees for Mental Health Records - 09/28/2022

Do Texas Medical Board rules regarding fees for copying medical records apply to mental health records? TMA’s newly updated, free white paper answers this question about fees and more.

Records Requests in an OIG Investigation - 04/13/2022

This submitted article from the Texas Office of the Inspector General details the requirements of the agency's provider record reviews and how you can be prepared and compliant if OIG requests patient records.

Withholding Copies of Records for Failure to Pay Copy Fee - 03/18/2022

Do we have to provide a patient copies of requested medical records if the patient fails to pay the copying fee?

Take Our Medical Records Quiz - 09/16/2021

Questions abound when it comes to managing medical records because they are subject to many rules and regulations. Can you answer these commonly asked questions about medical records?

Cures Act Changes Medical Records Requirements: TMA White Paper - 09/10/2021

Keep up to date with your requirements under the law when it comes to medical record releases with the Texas Medical Association’s recently updated white paper, “Patient Access and Consent to the Release of Medical Records." The updates account for recent changes to federal law.

TMA to AG: Protect Physician Data from Open Records Request - 11/23/2020

The Texas Medical Association is fighting to keep confidential the personal and financial data of physicians who recently participated in an independent dispute resolution process created by Texas’ surprise billing law – Senate Bill 1264.

Surprise Billing Records Request Could Make Physicians’ Personal, Financial Data Public - 11/12/2020

The clock is ticking to file an objection with the Texas Attorney General’s office to protect some of your personal and financial data that could be made public through an open-records request filed with the Texas Department of Insurance.

Keep Your Records Straight and HIPAA-Compliant With TMA CME - 01/21/2020

TMA’s in-depth publication, Managing Your Medical Records, will help physicians and front office staff better understand the rules of consent, release, and disclosure. Get up to speed on everything from practical, efficient methods for record organization to best practices for record storage that’s HIPAA- and HITECH-compliant.

Physicians Concerned Over State’s Inaccurate Death Reporting - 06/25/2019

Some Texas physicians are concerned that the state’s death statistics are not as accurate as they should be. Like in many states, Texas’ death reporting system feeds inconsistent information into the state’s vital statistics database. As a result, distorted death statistics inaccurately portray how people are dying, which could have negative public health implications.

A Conversation With Travis County Chief Medical Examiner J. Keith Pinckard, MD - 03/08/2018

Texas Medicine recently caught up with Dr. Pinckard, who has been the chief medical examiner at the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office since 2015.

Charging a Fee to Complete Forms - 10/19/2017

Can practices charge a fee to complete individual disability income claims forms?

Medical Records Retention for Pregnant Patients - 07/28/2017

Q. How long does an obstetrician or other physician who treats women during pregnancy need to keep patient records? Is it until age 21 of the baby, or seven years after the mother was last treated?

Handling Patient Charts Under HIPAA - 11/08/2016

Handling Patient Charts Under HIPAA

Guidelines for Documenting E&M Services - 06/02/2016

Guidelines for documenting E&M services