The Board shall deem it unprofessional conduct for a licensee to fail to release information in a patient's record to said patient, provided, however, that no record need be released until all reasonable fees have been paid by said patient to the licensee, and provided further that a reasonable fee may be charged for providing a copy of information to said patient. This rule shall include the release of contact lens prescriptions, sufficient to order replacement lenses, to the patient, provided that a complete contact lens prescription has been determined and evaluated. Contact lens prescriptions so released may contain limitations or parameters as to the manufacturer of the lenses, materials used to manufacture the lenses, and minimum and maximum deviations from the prescription. A reasonable expiration date shall be set forth on all prescriptions. The Board shall deem it unprofessional conduct for a licensee to fail to maintain, in his or her possession, all records pertaining to a patient for a period of not less than seven years from the date of the last service provided to that patient.

Author: Wallace D. Mills

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §34-22-23(17).

History: Filed July 9, 1990. Amended: Filed December 16, 1991. Amended: Filed August 27, 1993; effective October 1, 1993. Amended: Published September 30, 2025; effective November 14, 2025.