Summary based on reporting by Kristin Goodwillie of the KING 5 Investigators, published September 19, 2025.
Patients in Washington state are encountering serious obstacles when attempting to obtain their medical records, according to an investigation by KING 5. Although state law generally requires healthcare providers to respond within 15 working days, some patients have waited months or even years for records they are legally entitled to receive.
Complaints filed with the Washington State Department of Health nearly doubled from 59 in 2020 to 112 in 2024. The department was on pace to receive approximately 135 complaints in 2025.
These delays can have significant consequences. Patients reported postponed medical treatment, denied workers’ compensation claims, lost employment and stalled personal-injury cases. In one case, Elba Quijano waited four months for records needed after an automobile accident. MultiCare initially maintained that she had never been treated at its facility. Without the records, her insurance and personal-injury claims could not move forward, adding financial and emotional strain.
The investigation also found that patients may be charged substantial amounts for their records. Linda O’Brien, a cancer patient who needed documentation for an employment-discrimination case, received a bill of $2,260 from MultiCare. With the help of an attorney, she eventually obtained the records and later won a $3 million jury verdict.
Attorney Nicholas Lepore told KING 5 that he has paid more than $900 for one client’s records and has filed lawsuits against healthcare organizations that failed to release records as required. Courts found that MultiCare and Swedish Health Services violated Washington law in cases he brought.
Both health systems told KING 5 that they are committed to providing records in compliance with the law.
The investigation of Washington state hospitals demonstrates why harmed patients should request complete medical records promptly and document every request, response, delay and fee. When records are withheld, patients may need to file a complaint with the appropriate state agency or obtain legal assistance—particularly when a medical, insurance or legal deadline is approaching.
Source: Kristin Goodwillie, KING 5 Investigators, “Some Washington Patients Denied Medical Records as State Complaints Nearly Double,” September 19, 2025.
