Monday, April 15, 2024

Dear valued patients of Steven R. Harris DC and Harris Chiropractic PLC:

I have spent more than 40 years meeting and caring for some of the most wonderful and interesting people in this community.   

For multiple reasons that include my own health issues, I have been forced to acknowledge that retirement is an idea whose time has arrived for me. Harris Chiropractic PLC will be closing about 33 days from now on Friday, May 17. At that point I will retire from practice and begin the next phase of my journey.

The purpose of this letter is to let you know that your personal health information paper file (PHI), digitally stored treatment notes and billing records will be maintained for 6 years following your last treatment by me, this is in accordance with Arizona law. A minor’s records will be maintained for six years after they reach the age of majority (18 years).

The medical record physical file will be stored in a pre-paid local locked climate-controlled storage facility in the west valley, 8620 W Northern Ave, Peoria, AZ 85354, I have the key. The staff at the storage facility will not have access to your records and knows nothing about them, so there is no need to go there or call them.

I’m confident most of you will probably not need the paper file, consisting of the forms you filled out, unless your doctor or attorney requests them. If you are involved in a court case (usually a motor vehicle accident) copies will be available to you and your attorney through a process you can complete on the website noted below.

 

Unless you were under 18 years old on your last visit, your paper file and billing records will be maintained for six years. After six years hard copy records will be shredded, x-ray films will be reclaimed and CDs will be shredded. Those under 18 on their last visit will have their records maintained and will be available until they are 24 years old after which those records too will be shredded to protect patient privacy.

Continuing Chiropractic care This letter has suggestions [below] so you can continue your spinal chiropractic care locally or while traveling.

In the meantime, you might want or need your X-RAY imaging studies for future care with another healthcare provider. During the final month of practice while I am still open, you can call the office to make arrangements to pick up X-Rays on film or CD that are on-site. Medicare does not recognize an x-ray over two years old. For this reason, new films are a good idea after two years or any new injury for example: a fall.

Your X-RAYS and CD discs will still all be available for six (6) years for pick-up  and/or treatment at a local chiropractor’s office. Dr. Steven Erickson DC has agreed to hold the x-ray films and discs for six years at 10451 W. Palmeras Dr. Suite 115W Sun City, AZ 85373 [(623) 566-4694] A release signed by the patient will be needed to pick up films, ID is required to preserve patient confidentiality.

Dr. Erickson is Advanced Proficiency rated in the Activator Method. He has treated me many times and he can ensure continuity of your chiropractic care using the Activator Method. Feel free to contact Dr Steven Erickson [(623) 566-4694] or another local doctor who has also adjusted me: Dr Alan Helvig DC, or any other chiropractor of your choosing to continue or restart your adjustments.

If you are out of town you can visit www.Activator.com, for a map by zip code of doctors who treat using the Activator Method.

How to request records:  The protocol to request records is detailed below and repeated on the office website: Adjspine.com

Procedure #1: your doctor or lawyer’s office will fax me a signed Authorization to Release records (for example if you have been injured in an automobile accident). To the fax # 1-877-318-1951  …or

Procedure #2:  Go to the web site (Adjspine.com) download,  print, fill out and sign the Authorization-to-Release-Records (3 pages). Fax it to the fax # 1-877-318-1951  …Or

Procedure #3 (if you don’t have access to a printer) Email me a note (harrischirorecords@gmail.com) describing the purpose of your request and your phone and contact information. I will send you the blank Authorization-to-Release-Records by mail or fax.

Complete the authorization, sign it and fax to 1-877-318-1951 or scan and email to harrischirorecords@gmail.com. Please do not call the old office number after 30 days from now as no one will be there to respond to you. Instead contact me by fax or e-mail as above.

If, after 30 days from now, you are requesting records, or for other correspondence, do not mail anything to the old physical address. After 6 months mail will not be forwarded by the post office. This property will change hands and the telephone and old contact methods will no longer work 30 days from now. If you need to contact me use the fax or E-mail address above.

It has been a both a privilege and a sincere honor to have been your chiropractor.  Thank you for your trust and patronage. I wish you all the very best of health and life.

Sincerely,

Steven R. Harris, DC