N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 10, § 50-3.10 - Confidentiality of Medical Access Review Committee records

N.Y. Pub. Health Law § 17 states that a physician or hospital must release copies of medical records upon written request by competent patient/guardian.  However, under § 18, the practitioner may deny access to all or part of the record if the practitioner determines that providing access would cause substantial and identifiable harm to the subject or others, or that the requested records are personal notes and observations, or that the requested information would have a detrimental effect on the patient.  The patient may then appeal this denial of access in front of Medical Record Access Review Committees appointed by the commissioner.
 
This particular regulation states that these committees’ records, deliberations, and correspondences are confidential, not subject to public access under Freedom of Information Law, and further requires that these records be stored in a secure place.