FAQ
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
How can I address concerns about my doctor and the care I have received?
Our Peer Review Committee handles concerns about current members only. Contact us to find out if your physician is a member. Present your questions/concerns to us in written form, including as much detail as possible and your contact information. Upon receipt of your letter, we will send out a release of information. Once we receive your consent, we will send the information to our Peer Review Committee review and action.
I’m searching for my medical records; would they be in your possession?
There are no patient records of any kind stored in our office, although occasionally we might know of their whereabouts. You may contact us at 330.492.3333.
Can my doctor really “drop” me?
Yes, doctors may, at their discretion, release you from their care. They must give you reasonable notice to secure another physician. You should receive a letter from your doctor which should include information on the transfer of medical records as well as emergency and interim care. Please note, that if you have been released by your doctor, it is your responsibility to act immediately to find another doctor. There might be a waiting list to get in to see another doctor.
I am no longer happy with my doctor. What would be the best way for me to end the relationship?
First, secure a new doctor, then write a letter to the doctor you’re leaving briefly noting the reason you’re leaving and formally requesting the release of your medical records.
Can my doctor really charge me for my records?
If the request is made by the patient or the patient’s personal representative (as defined by Ohio Revised Code 3701.74), total costs for copies and all services related to those copies shall not exceed the sum of the following with respect to data recorded on paper:
• Two dollars and ninety-two cents ($2.92) per page for the first ten pages;
• Sixty-one cents (61¢) per page for pages eleven through fifty;
• Twenty-five cents (25¢) per page for pages fifty-one and higher;
• The actual cost of any related postage incurred by the health care provider or medical records company.
With respect to data recorded other than on paper such as copies of X-rays, EKG strips, MRI, or CAT scan, recorded on paper or film:
• Two dollars ($2.00) per page
• Postage – actual cost
The following entities are entitled to one free copy of a medical record: the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation; the Industrial Commission; the Department of Job and Family Services; and the patient or patient’s personal representative if the medical record is necessary to support a claim for Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and the request is accompanied by documentation that a claim has been filed.
