Joint Guidelines Of The State Board Of Medical Examiners And Medical Licensure Commission For Medical Records Management - ALA. ADMIN. CODE r. 540-X-9-.10

Physicians must maintain accurate, well-documented records that reflect a patient’s medical history, diagnosis and treatment course.  Medical records must be maintained by the physician for the period necessary to treat the patient and for additional time as may be required for medical or legal purposes.
 
Upon the patient’s request and approval by the physician, a physician must provide a copy of the medical record to the patient, other physician, or third party designated by the patient.  Physicians may condition the release of the medical record on the payment by the requestor of the reasonable reproduction costs of the record.  Reasonable reproduction costs may not exceed $1 per page for the first 25 pages, $.50 per page for each page thereafter, a search fee of $5, and the actual mailing cost.  The actual cost of reproducing x-ray images or other special records may be included in the cost.  The fees do not apply to records subpoenaed by the Board of Medical Examiners.  Physicians are also encouraged to give consideration to ethical and professional duties owed to other physicians and patients, and waive reproduction fees where possible. 
 
When a physician retires, terminates a medical practice or leaves the employment of a practice, the physician is responsible for ensuring that active patients are notified and can arrange a transfer of their medical records.  A physician or physician group must not withhold information from a departing physician that is necessary to notify patients. A physician or the estate of a deceased physician transferring medical records in connection with the sale of a medical practice must notify the physician's active patients that the records are being transferred.