Related Stories

TMA Experts Dispel Myths of Medical Records - 12/08/2023

Confused about whether your practice can charge fees when fulfilling a request for a copy of medical record?

Keep Patients Prepared with Good Medical Recordkeeping - 07/25/2023

Hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean opened June 1 and typically runs through November, and Texas physicians and patients alike may be bracing for the possibility of property damage and displacement.

Charging a Fee to Complete Forms - 07/20/2023

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

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.

Texas Administrative Code: Medical Disclosure Forms - 10/07/2022

Texas Administrative Code: Medical Disclosure Forms

Informed Consent - 10/07/2022

Informed Consent

How to Respond to a Subpoena - 10/07/2022

How to Respond to a Subpoena

Do Appointments Establish a Patient-Physician Relationship? - 10/07/2022

When a new patient makes an appointment with my office, does that establish a patient-physician relationship between the patient and me?

Who Can Consent to Immunization of Minors? - 09/28/2022

Who in Texas can consent to immunization of minors?

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.

Surgeon’s Multimillion-Dollar Defamation Award Tossed by Texas Supreme Court - 05/16/2022

The Texas Supreme Court has nullified a $6.4 million jury verdict for a Houston cardiothoracic surgeon in his lawsuit alleging defamation and business disparagement by Memorial Hermann Hospital System.    

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?

These Workplace Posters Should Be on Your Walls - 10/28/2021

Along with any decorative prints or motivational signs that might adorn the walls in the employees-only areas of your practice, posters about up to a dozen lawsmust be on display.

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.

The Finer Points of Professional Courtesy - 08/20/2021

The Finer Points of Professional Courtesy

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.

House Will Study Behavioral Health, Early Childhood Intervention, and More - 12/02/2019

Among a number of health care-related topics, the Texas House of Representatives during the interim “off” year in 2020 will study the state’s behavioral health system, child trafficking prevention, and the effect of technology and “big data” on insurance. House Speaker Dennis Bonnen (R-Angleton) released the chamber’s interim charges last week.

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.

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?

When Drug Enforcement Agents Come Knocking - 05/02/2017

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents turn up in your office wanting to ask you questions. They announce they have a right to inspect your records without warning. ...

Physical Therapy in a Physician’s Office - 03/16/2017

Is it legal for me or one of my employees to perform “physical therapy” within the confines of my medical practice office, or would that violate a licensing code?