As a physician you try to provide the best services to your patients that you can. Then you get a request from the Medical Board asking for a patient’s record. Can the Minnesota Medical Board request medical records?
Any state medical board can request medical records. The board has administrative hearings and has the power to require you to take further schooling. A board can even cancel your license. Someone from the board will request medical records if a patient accuses you of violating the Medical Practice Act.
Does the board have to investigate all the complaints?
The board has a specific procedure when a patient makes a complaint. The board assigns the complaint to an analyst. The analyst will ask you for a response along with all pertinent medical records. The analyst completes the investigation and returns it to the board.
The board only investigates complaints that you may have violated the Medical Practice Act. If a former patient complains that you charged too much, that is not within the jurisdiction of the board.
Who reviews the case?
A medical coordinator is a physician who reviews the case. The coordinator then either asks for more information or presents the case to the Complaint Review Committee. The Complaint Review Committee either closes the complaint or requests a follow-up. The committee may ask you to take further education to improve your skills. Or the committee may decide to cancel your license.
The Minnesota Board of Medical Practice can and will request medical records if the matter is within the board’s jurisdiction. In that case, you must comply and send the records.