Tenn. Code Ann. § 68-1-1003 - Requirements for Reports to the Department of Health, Access to Patient Medical Records, Reimbursement, and Failure to Report or Give access to Records

All hospitals, laboratories, facilities, and health care practitioners must report to the department of health information contained in a diagnosed cancer patient’s medical record within 6 months of the diagnosis.  The Commissioner or his authorized representative must have access to patient medical records of cancer patients maintained by hospitals, labs, facilities and practitioners, in order to identify cancer cases, establish the characteristics of the cancer, the treatment of the cancer or the medical status of a cancer patient. 

If a hospital, lab, facility or practitioner fails to timely and properly report the required information, the commissioner may obtain the information directly from the patient’s medical record.