dealing with resistant MDs - re: records

[Guest guest]

Hello friends & colleagues,

It doesn't happen often, but from time to time I'm faced with a resistant MD who

gives the

patient a hard time re: releasing records. Generally I fill out and get the

patient to sign a

release of records form in their fist visit, which gets faxed to their MD, and

then the MD

faxes me copies of the lab reports.

Sometimes MD's refuse (though I don't think they can do so, legally) or charge

the patient

for this service. Add-on user fees are becoming commonplace in Dr's offices

here. My

understanding is that they are allowed to charge " a reasonable fee " for these

types of

services.

So I have a patient who's MD wanted to charge $75.00 to fax me a couple copies

of lab

reports. This doesn't seem " reasonable " to me. Does anyone have any more info

re:

what's acceptable/standard in these situations? Can MD's refuse to release

records when

directed to by the patient? What suggestions do you have for dealing with this

type of

situation?

Thanks for any suggestions,

Baer, ND

Toronto, ON