consumerbrief
800-242-5846
New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs
www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov
State Board of
Medical Examiners
New Jersey’s State Board of Medical Examiners is
responsible for protecting the public’s health and safety
by determining qualifications of applicants for licensure,
establishing standards of practices, and disciplining
licensees who do not adhere to those requirements.
The State Board of Medical Examiners consists of 21
gubernatorial appointees: 12 physicians, at least two
of whom must be osteopathic physicians; three public
members; one Commissioner of Health or his/her
designee; one executive department designee; one
podiatrist; one physician assistant; one bio-analytical
laboratory director, who may or may not be an M.D.; and
one certified nurse midwife.
WHAT DOES THE BOARD DO?
The Board licenses every doctor of medicine (M.D.),
doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.), podiatrist
(D.P.M.), acupuncturist, bio-analytical lab director
(B.L.D.), hearing aid dispenser (H.A.D.), certified nurse
midwife (C.N.M), physician assistant (P.A.), athletic
trainer (A.T.), electrologist and perfusionist.
The Board promulgates regulations which serve as a
basis for the standard of practice and the Board ensures
that these regulations and the statutes are followed by all
licensees. It also is the responsibility of the Board to
evaluate when a licensee’s conduct or ability to practice
appropriately warrants modification, suspension or
revocation of the license to practice. When the Board
receives a complaint about a licensee and there is reason
to believe that the licensee has violated the law, it has
the power to investigate, hold hearings, and/or impose
disciplinary sanction. This may include fines, additional
education, medical treatment, or a modification of his/
her license.
HOW CAN I FIND OUT INFORMATION ABOUT MY DOCTOR?
You can learn more information about a doctor licensed
in the State of New Jersey at the New Jersey Healthcare
Profile (also known as the Physician Profile) by accessing
www.njdoctorlist.com on the Web. At this Web site,
you can learn more about a physician’s education, Board
certifications, where the physician has hospital privileges,
the insurance which he/she accepts, whether any
disciplinary action has been taken by the Board in the last
10 years, whether any malpractice payments have been
paid on the licensee’s behalf and whether he/she has been
disciplined by a health care facility.
HOW CAN I FILE A COMPLAINT?
Go to www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/Pages/Consumer-
Complaints.aspx to fill out a complaint form and submit
it online, or to download a complaint form, fill it out and
then mail it to: State Board of Medical Examiners
P.O. Box183
Trenton, New Jersey 08624-0183.
If you prefer, you can call 609-826-7100 to request that
a complaint form be mailed to you.
HOW LONG WILL THE INVESTIGATION TAKE?
The Board cannot predict how long an investigation will
take because each case has many variables. Each matter
received by the Board is investigated thoroughly and on
its own merits. Some cases are clear and involve a limited
number of circumstances and, upon assignment, can be
completed quickly. Others are more complicated and may
take longer periods of time. The Board will do its best
to process your complaint as quickly as it can, while still
maintaining an appropriate investigation.
state-board-of-medical-examiners • Revised 01/04/24
Continued
800-242-5846
New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs
www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov
DO I HAVE A RIGHT TO MY MEDICAL RECORDS?
In most instances, you do have a right to receive a copy
of your medical records, not the original. Although most
patients assume that the records belong to them, the
Board requires that the physician maintain the original to
ensure that the patient’s medical history is available to
any subsequent treating physician or health care provider.
Copies may be given to you, another doctor, your
attorney, your insurance company or another family
member if you expressly authorize it. If you should die,
your executor or administrator of your estate may obtain
copies also. Medical records cannot be released to a spouse,
family member (except in the case of a child), attorney or
any other person unless you give your consent to release
them to that specific person.
CAN A DOCTOR CHARGE ME FOR MY MEDICAL RECORDS?
The doctor may charge you to copy your records. The
cost may not be greater than $1.00 per page or $100.00
for the entire record, whichever is less. If your records are
no more than 10 pages, the doctor may charge $10.00.
A “service fee” may not be charged in addition to the
copying fee. Charges for copies of X-rays and other
documents which cannot be reproduced by ordinary
photocopying machines are to be charged at the
actual costs to reproduce them.
Your doctor has 30 days after he/she receives a written
request from you to provide your records. If you have
provided a set of records from another physician, you have
a right to have these included as part of the entire medical
record. Physicians may not refuse to release a copy of your
medical record if it is needed for ongoing treatment by
another health care provider even if you owe money for
the medical services the physician has provided. Absent
these circumstances, the physician has the right to hold the
record until you pay for the costs to reproduce the record.
There is an exception to the above rule. If you are
sent by an insurance company or employer for an
examination, the above does not apply. In order to obtain
a copy of the records or reports from this examination,
you must contact your employer or the insurance
company that sent you for the examination to receive a copy.
HOW LONG MUST A DOCTOR KEEP MY MEDICAL RECORDS?
A doctor has to keep a patient’s medical records for seven
years. After that, the physician may destroy them. There
is no requirement in the law that requires the physician
to notify a patient prior to destroying the records. It is
recommended that you request a copy of your medical records
when you are changing physicians.
Go to www.njconsumeraffairs.gov, and click on Boards
& Committees, Medical Examiners for additional
information about the Board, or you can contact the Board
as indicated below.
Telephone: (609) 826-7100
Fax: (609) 826-7117 or
E-mail: [email protected]
Be an Informed Consumer… We can Help!
New Jersey Office of the Attorney General
DIVISION OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS
Consumer Service Center
124 Halsey Street
P.O. Box 45025
Newark, NJ 07101
973-504-6200
800-242-5846
(toll free within N.J.)
E-Mail: [email protected]
website:
www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov
