Frequently Asked Questions

Yes; however, the practitioner may charge for the copies.

A  complaint may be filed with the Consumer Services Unit; however, a physician may not hold records if the patient has not paid for services rendered.

Yes. Section 456.057, Florida Statutes, allows a health care practitioner to charge no more than the actual cost of copying, which may include reasonable staff time or an amount designated by rules provided by the regulatory board. The reasonable costs of reproducing copies of written or typed documents are outlined in Rule 64B8-10.003, FAC.

Yes. Section 456.057, Florida Statutes, allows patients or their legal representative to receive copies of all reports and records relating to an examination or treatment by a healthcare practitioner. However, when psychiatric, psychological, or psychotherapeutic records are requested by the patient or the patient’s legal representative, the healthcare practitioner may provide a report of examination and treatment instead of copies of records.

Section 381.026, Florida Statutes, outlines the Patient Bill of Rights and Responsibilities in the State of Florida.

You may search for or request public records at our Public Records website. There you will find information such as license verifications, disciplinary records, and declaratory statements.

Yes, information on disciplinary sanctions for all healthcare professions and establishments regulated by MQA are included in the License Lookup search system.

Please see our  List of Regulated Professions for assistance in locating the profession you are seeking.

To register laser devices please visit the Bureau of Radiation Control Homepage

Yes, please refer to 64B8-56.002 Equipment and Devices; Protocols for Laser and Light-Based Devices rule from the Electrolysis Council, for additional information please visit the Electrolysis Council Home Page.

The law does not allow the practitioner to abbreviate, the month must be written out. For example, “December” not “Dec.”

The patient should not be inconvenienced by this new requirement. Hopefully, consumers themselves, when presented with a prescription that is illegible will clarify the drug, dosage strength or other component of the prescription with the doctor before taking it to the pharmacy.

The purpose of the law is to improve patient safety by reducing errors in prescription medications. The law does not specify how the Department shall handle prescription writers who do not comply. The Department will work closely with the licensing boards, health care associations, and other interested groups to implement this law. As with all new laws and programs, we cannot predict what will happen in every situation, however, the Department is now focused on how best to implement the law not on how to discipline health care providers who are doing their best to learn and acclimate to this new prescription format. The Department focus the first year is to educate prescribing practitioners, pharmacists and consumers about the law. The licensing boards have a variety of options available to deal with violations, including a letter of advice that would be sent to non-compliant practitioners. This would be followed by a notice of non-compliance, and if appropriate, a citation. The licensing boards have not yet had the opportunity to address this issue.