The bill amends several sections of Florida Statutes to enhance patient access to their medical records and streamline the procedures for blood testing in cases of suspected impairment or intoxication. It mandates that service providers must furnish clinical records within 14 working days of receiving a request and in the format chosen by the requester, whether paper or electronic. The bill removes the previous requirement that licensed facilities could only provide patient records after discharge, allowing for more timely access. It also introduces a new section defining "legal representative" and establishes that service providers must comply with requests from both clients and their legal representatives within specified timeframes. Additionally, healthcare practitioners must provide access to records within 14 working days and allow examination of original records within 10 working days, while ensuring reasonable terms to protect the integrity of the records.

In relation to blood testing, the bill allows for the provision of psychiatric records to a subsequent treating psychiatrist without the condition of payment for services, changing the language from "shall" to "may." It clarifies that healthcare providers can notify law enforcement if a patient's blood-alcohol level meets or exceeds a specified threshold, without breaching confidentiality laws, and provides immunity to healthcare providers from civil, criminal, or administrative actions for participating in this notification process. The bill also updates various sections to reflect changes in the confidentiality of medical records and is set to take effect on January 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
H 1083 Filed: 400.145, 456.057, 316.1932, 316.1933, 395.4025, 400.0234, 429.294, 440.185, 456.47
H 1083 c1: 400.145, 456.057, 316.1932, 316.1933, 395.4025, 429.294, 440.185, 456.47