1. (1) Any chiropractor who treats patients in the state of Washington shall maintain all treatment records regarding patients treated. These records may include, but shall not be limited to, X-rays, treatment plans, patient charts, patient histories, correspondence, financial data, and billing. These records shall be retained by the chiropractor for five years in an orderly, accessible file and shall be readily available for inspection by the commission or its authorized representative: X-rays or copies of records may be forwarded pursuant to a licensed agent's written request. Also, office records shall state the date on which the records were released, method forwarded and to whom, and the reason for the release. A reasonable fee may be charged the patient to cover mailing and clerical costs.

2. (2) A chiropractor shall honor within fifteen days a written request from an adult patient or their legal representative or the legal representative of a minor child to release:

   1. (a) Original X-rays and records to other licensed health care providers; or

   2. (b) The chiropractor may provide duplicate films or a copy of the patient records to the health care provider or the patient. The health care provider may bill the patient reasonable duplication costs. Once the original films have been loaned at patient request, the chiropractor is no longer responsible for them, or for their retrieval or subsequent production.

      A chiropractor who has received original X-rays on a loan basis shall return them to the loaning chiropractor upon request within sixty days unless other arrangements are made.

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 18.25 RCW. WSR 96-16-074, § 246-808-650, filed 8/6/96, effective 9/6/96.]