Medical Records: FAQ & Information About Your Request for Release of PHI

A record of the care you received is retained in our Medical Records Department. Medical records are kept in strict confidence and are not released without the written authorization of the patient, except as permitted by law.

Why must I go through the medical records department for a copy?

HIPAA laws require that certain procedures be followed in order to release copies of a patient’s medical record, including documentation of the request.

Can I requesting medical records on behalf of another person?

If you are requesting medical records for someone other than yourself, you may be required to provide additional documentation to show that you have a legal right to request the record set. Examples of these documents include Letters of Representation, Guardianship Papers, Affidavit of Heir at Law, etc. If you have any questions, please contact the Medical Records Department at 225-769-0933 to determine the documentation that will be required to
process your request.

I am unable to pick up my medical records myself- can I send someone else to get them?

Due to HIPAA regulations, another person can pick up your copies only if there is a valid Designation of Personal Representative form on file. This includes spouses and any other individual, friend, or family member. If you think you have filled out a Representative form in the past, please contact us to confirm before sending someone to pick up your records.

What is HIPAA?

HIPAA, or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, is a set of federal laws put in place to regulate certain aspects of the healthcare industry. In the medical records department, we are mainly concerned with the HIPAA Privacy Rule, which provides a set of standards to follow in order to maintain patient confidentiality and privacy.

How do I submit a request and receive record copies?

Requests for medical records may be:

  • Mailed to Medical Records Department, 5231 Brittany Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
  • Faxed to Medical Records Department – Direct Fax: 225-214-1484
  • Submitted in person during regular business hours Monday – Friday

What is your turnaround time?

Our average turnaround time for processing requests is 10-15 business days, plus shipping time.

How will I receive my records?

Unless otherwise requested, records will be mailed through United States Postal Service (USPS).

Records needed for medical emergencies will be faxed directly to a physician or medical facility. Please include your phone number on your request, in case we need to contact you for additional information. For questions regarding requests for medical record copies please contact the Baton Rouge Cardiology Center, Medical Records Department at 225-769-0933.

How do I contact the Medical Records Department at Baton Rouge Cardiology Center?

If you have a question or concern that has not been addressed by the information provided, please do not hesitate to contact one of our staff members.

Southern Medical Document Solutions

What is the fee for medical records?

Fees are authorized annually by the State of Louisiana in accordance with Louisiana law (Statue 40:1165.1). Some records requested for legal, insurance, or personal use may require a prepayment. If your request requires pre-payment, a fee notice will be sent to you upon processing of your medical records written request. Actual postage and Louisiana state tax will be added to the fees outlined below. Record fees will be billed as follows (plus actual postage).

In accordance with Louisiana law (Statue 40:1165.1), the charge for copying medical records is as follows:

Physician to physician fees:

  • There is no charge when sending medical records from one physician to another.

Patient requesting own records fees:

  • Allow 10-15 days to respond to request
  • If records are less than 5 pages there will be no charge
  • $6.50 flat rate
  • Postage fees must be paid by person requesting records
  • If patient is a veteran there will be no charge

Attorney, insurance, 3rd party, research studies, etc. fees:

  • $25.00 Handling fee for requests
  • $1.00 per page for first 25 pages
  • $0.50 per page for pages 26-350
  • $0.25 per page for pages 351 or more
  • Postage fees must be paid by party requesting records
  • $6.50 plus post for Hitech CD request
  • If charges go beyond $100.00, then cost will remain a flat rate of $100.00, plus postage

Social Security Administration fees:

  • $20.00 for pages 1-75
  • $0.50 per page for pages 76-80
  • $0.25 per page for pages 81 or more
  • Postage fees must be paid by the person requesting records

Disability fees:

  • $20.00 flat rate

Digital (electronic) records on CD fees:

  • $6.50 flat rate for patients