Medical malpractice, vehicle accident, wrongful death, product liability, premises liability, sexual abuse, and all other personal injury cases depend on complete prompt access of victims to their healthcare records. That critical access is guaranteed by Va. Code Ann. §8.01-413.
§8.01-413(B) requires provision of “records or papers” to a patient: “copies of hospital, nursing facility, physician’s or other health care provider’s records or papers should be furnished within 15 days of receipt of such request to the patient….” Notably, §8.01-413(B) speaks of all “records or papers,” not some amorphous “patient chart”. The latter just is an artificial construct of facilities, insurers and their lawyers; and self-servingly excludes whatever they choose. As Judge Tench observed in a recent medical malpractice case, “Medical records are much more than just the chart hanging there.” See, 7/10/07 Licare v. Riverside Hearing Transcript Excerpt at 38.16-23 (emphasis added). §8.01-413(B) is broad, encompassing and not susceptible of such convenient defense abuse.
§8.01-413(C) requires the patient in a pending civil case to issue a Subpoena for his records or papers if the healthcare provider fails to comply with a written request under §8.01-413(B). “[U]pon the failure … to comply with any written request made in accordance with subsection B…, the patient …may cause a subpoena duces tecum to be issued. The subpoena may be issued…in a pending civil case .... *** The subpoena shall be returnable within 20 days of proper service, directing the [healthcare provider] … to produce and furnish copies of the reports and papers to the clerk who shall then make the same available to the patient....” (emphasis added). The letter of §8.01-413(C) mandating enforcement through a “pending” case evinces the intent of companion §8.01-413(B) mandating provision of records and papers during a “pending” case. Also, the Court can award attorney’s fees, court costs and all other expenses for non-compliance. §8.01-413(C).
§8.01-413 is analogous to §2.1-340, et seq., with purpose, motivation and litigation status likewise being irrelevant. Va. Code Ann. §2.1-340, et seq. is the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”). The Virginia Supreme Court held “the purpose or motivation behind a [FOIA] request is irrelevant to citizen’s entitlement to requested information.” Associated Tax Servs., Inc. v. Fitzpatrick, 236 Va. 181, 187 (1988). Following Fitzpatrick, Justice Lemons ruled a requestor’s status as medical malpractice plaintiff was irrelevant to and did not disqualify her Virginia FOIA request. Stevens v. Lemmie, 40 Va. Cir. 499, 513-514 (Petersburg 1996). “The broad policy of FOIA mandates that public information be made available to all citizens regardless of their interest in the information,” wrote Justice Lemons. “This Court finds no exception to FOIA that precludes its use where the information sought may become evidence in a pending or contemplated civil suit.” Id. at 514. §8.01-413 is analogous to §2.1-340: it too reflects a broad exception-less policy mandating availability of information. A requestor’s litigation status under §8.01-413 likewise is irrelevant.
