title: Release of information: are hospitals taking a hit?
abstract: Outsourcing release-of-information requests helps hospitals alleviate administrative and compliance burdens and expense. Recently, state lawmakers have begun to draft legislation reducing the maximum fee that may be charged for copies of electronically stored records. The reduced fees may not cover expenses. If such legislation makes it difficult for outsourcing companies to make a profit from this service, hospitals ultimately could bear the expense and risk.
authors.affiliation: Association for Health Information Outsourcing Services, Media, PA, USA. gmbells@aol.com
authors.forename: G Michael
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Bellenghi
authors.forename: Bonnie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Coffey
authors.forename: Joseph E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Fournier
authors.forename: Jan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: McDavid
mesh_terms: D022126:Access to Information / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005249:Fees and Charges / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D033161:Government Regulation; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D020408:Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D019451:Information Management / Q000191:economics*; D008500:Medical Records Department, Hospital / Q000191:economics*; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D020416:Outsourced Services / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D013219:State Government; D014481:United States