Wash. Rev. Code § 70.02.090

Patient's request — Denial of examination and copying

Health care providers may deny a patient access to their health care information if the provider reasonably concludes any of the following:

• Knowledge of the information would harm the patient’s health;
• Knowledge of the information could lead to the patient identifying an individual who provided information in confidence and under circumstances in which confidentiality was appropriate;
• Knowledge of the information could endanger the life or safety of any individual;
• The requested information was created and used solely for litigation, quality assurance, peer review or administrative purposes; or
• The law prohibits the patient’s access.

Providers denying an access request must, to the extent possible, segregate the information for which access has been denied and permit the patient to examine or copy the remaining information. If a provider denies access because knowledge of the information would harm the patient's health or could endanger the life or safety of any individual, the provider must permit another health care provider selected by the patient who is authorized under state law to treat the patient for the same condition to examine and copy the record. The health care provider denying the request must inform the patient of his or her right to select another health care provider in these circumstances.