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Anyone who wants to research state information on local hospitals and nursing homes may no longer look at those facilities' files in Tucson.

The Arizona Department of Health Services has moved all its files on long-term care and medical facilities to its offices in Phoenix.

That means anyone who wants to look at a file or file a complaint must do so through Phoenix — by calling or going there.

State workers in Tucson have been responding to requests for files by handing out a letter explaining that the documents were moved Aug. 4.

Though some information about hospitals and long-term-care facilities is available online, some isn't.

The application and in-depth details about deficiencies found during state inspections can be accessed only by looking at the file itself.

Tucsonan Lena DiIeso, who has been researching local long-term-care facilities for her mother, said the change is inconvenient. DiIeso's mother is in a Casa Grande nursing home, but DiIeso has been considering moving her to one in Tucson.

"We have people living here in Tucson, and we have a growing population — we should be able to look up all the records available right here," she said. "You don't get all the information online."

State officials say the move was purely for efficiency. They note that files on state-licensed facilities in other Arizona cities, including Flagstaff and Yuma, are also in Phoenix.

"It is a method to become more efficient and centralize better," said Alan Oppenheim, deputy assistant director for the state's division of licensing.

"We'll always be able to get people the information they need," Oppenheim said. "If someone needs something sent down to Tucson, we can have it sent. It's what we've done in other cities, and it works fine."

But Tucsonan Philis Gold said she fears that moving the files will result in more red tape for the public. Gold has two elderly parents.

"The records for the facilities in the city should be in the city. And not everyone has access to the Internet," she said.

"When you get to the point when you have to place your parents (in a nursing home), I will tell you, it is an extremely difficult thing," Gold said.

"You've got people in such distress to begin with. You've got parents who needed help yesterday. . . . I do think the state is not being sensitive to the citizens of Tucson."

State licensing files on local child-care and assisted-living facilities will stay at the state health department's Tucson location, 400 W. Congress St.