The General Assembly’s Judiciary Committee approved a bill Monday that will allow individuals to conduct an on-site examination of their health records maintained by a health care institution.
House Bill 6372 would provide individuals the right to examine their health records, as well as retained tissue slides and pathology tissue blocks, on-site at any health care institution where those records are held.
The bill would also establish a hearing process within the Department of Public Health to address complaints concerning lack of access to medical records.
Under current law, health care institutions including hospitals and other facilities must provide patients with their health records within 30 days of a written request.
The bill, which also passed out of the public health and appropriations committees, now proceeds to the floor of the House to await further action.
 “The more information patients have about their own health and treatment, the better prepared they can be to make important decisions and look after their own well-being,” said Sen. Eric D.  Coleman, D-Hartford. “No patient should ever be denied the right to examine their own medical records, either in person, through the mail or however is most convenient for them. This bill will protect that right, and establish a complaint process to see it is enforced.”
