(1) Upon receipt of a written request from a patient to examine or copy all or part of the patient's recorded health care information, a health care provider, as promptly as required under the circumstances, but no later than fifteen working days after receiving the request shall:

(a) Make the information available for examination during regular business hours and provide a copy, if requested, to the patient;

(b) Inform the patient if the information does not exist or cannot be found;

(c) If the health care provider does not maintain a record of the information, inform the patient and provide the name and address, if known, of the health care provider who maintains the record;

(d) If the information is in use or unusual circumstances have delayed handling the request, inform the patient and specify in writing the reasons for the delay and the earliest date, not later than twenty-one working days after receiving the request, when the information will be available for examination or copying or when the request will be otherwise disposed of; or

(e) Deny the request, in whole or in part, under RCW 70.02.090 and inform the patient.

(2) Upon request, the health care provider shall provide an explanation of any code or abbreviation used in the health care information. If a record of the particular health care information requested is not maintained by the health care provider in the requested form, the health care provider is not required to create a new record or reformulate an existing record to make the health care information available in the requested form. Except as provided in RCW 70.02.030, the health care provider may charge a reasonable fee for providing the health care information and is not required to permit examination or copying until the fee is paid.

Effective date—1993 c 448: See note following RCW 70.02.010.