§ 5-37-30 - Closure of medical practice – Preservation of records. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 5-37-30

   § 5-37-30  Closure of medical practice– Preservation of records. – (a) A physician shall, at least ninety (90) days before closing his or herpractice, give public notice as to the disposition of patients' medical recordsin a newspaper with a statewide circulation, and shall notify the Rhode IslandMedical Society and Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline ofthe location of the records. The public notice shall include the date of thephysician's retirement, and where and how patients may obtain their recordsboth prior to and after closure of the physician's practice.

   (b) The heirs or estate of a deceased physician who had beenpracticing at the time of his or her death shall, within ninety (90) days ofthe physician's death, give public notice as to the disposition of patients'medical records in a newspaper with a statewide circulation, and shall notifythe Rhode Island Medical Society and Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensureand Discipline of the location of the records.

   (c) Any physician closing his or her practice, or the heirsor estate of a deceased physician who had been practicing at the time of his orher death, shall dispose of the physician's patient records in a location andmanner so that the records are maintained and accessible to patients.

   (d) Any person or corporation or other legal entity receivingmedical records of any retired physician or deceased physician who had beenpracticing at the time of his or her death, shall comply with and be subject tothe provisions of chapter 37.3 of this title, the Confidentiality of HealthCare Information Act, and shall be subject to the rules and regulationspromulgated in accordance with § 23-1-48 and with the provisions of §5-37-22(c) and (d), even though this person, corporation, or other legal entityis not a physician.