The legal health record (LHR) is defined as what?

The legal health record (LHR) is defined specifically as a defined subset of all patient-specific data created by a healthcare provider. This means that the LHR consists of essential information that is relevant and necessary for legal purposes, including documentation that would be needed in any potential legal proceedings, compliance with regulatory requirements, or in audits.

The legal health record is not the entirety of all information created by a healthcare provider, as it focuses on the data that has legal relevance. It serves a specific function in ensuring that necessary and pertinent information is readily available when required. This subset includes notes, care documentation, orders, and other critical pieces of information that are often scrutinized in legal contexts.

The definition also makes clear that it is not solely based on what state or federal authorities designate as "legal." Instead, it is shaped by what constitutes a necessary collection of records that support the provision of healthcare and the documentation of a patient's care, ensuring the integrity and accuracy required by law.

Additionally, while legal permissibility in responding to requests is a crucial aspect of health information management, it does not define the LHR itself but rather speaks to the guidelines on sharing parts of that defined subset when there are requests from patients or legal entities. Thus, the focus of