Houston-based Memorial Hermann is facing an investigation from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over a policy that allegedly prevents parents from accessing their children's medical records once they become teenagers.
Mr. Paxton sent a letter to the health system saying that his office has received letters from parents and guardians who said they can't access their children's medical records if the child is between 13 and 17 years old.
Mr. Paxton said if true, Memorial Hermann could be violating Texas law.
A Memorial Hermann spokesperson told Becker's that it is not aware of any specific patient complaints about access to records and first learned about the complaint in question via the attorney general's press release that was shared on Oct. 27.
"We believe all our health system's policies are in compliance with both federal and Texas state laws. We take all patient-related concerns very seriously and will investigate any complaints brought to our attention. We will also work with the attorney general's office to determine the facts and appropriately address this matter," the spokesperson told Becker's.
Mr. Paxton has also sent over a civil investigative demand to learn more about the policy at Memorial Hermann.