The Supreme Court found that physicians, institutions, or clinics compiling a medical record own the physical record. Patients, meanwhile, have an interest in the information contained in their records that was obtained as a result of the treatment provided, even if it was derived from other sources.
Who legally owns the medical record?
- The physical medical record actually belongs to the physician who created it and the facility in which the record was created. The information gathered within the original medical record is owned by the patient. This is why patients are allowed a COPY of their medical record, but not the original document.
Who owns the information contained within medical records?
- The patient owns the information contained within the medical records but the healthcare provider owns the paperwork that contains the information. The provider therefore has a duty to protect the confidential information contained within.
Who is the legal owner of the physical medical record?
- The physical medical record actually belongs to the physician who created it and the facility in which the record was created. The information gathered within the original medical record is owned by the patient.This is why patients are allowed a COPY of their medical record, but not the original document.
Who owns the patient medical records?
- - Hospital and/or physician owns medical record - Patient owns information in medical record - No law identified conferring specific ownership or property right to medical record
Although they may assume otherwise, people generally do not own their medical records. All fifty states agree that medical providers – not patients – own the tangible, physical record.