Who owns the health record?

The correct choice reflects the notion that the provider who generated the health record typically holds ownership of the physical record itself. This is based on the legal principles surrounding health information ownership which assert that while patients have rights to access their personal health information, the providers – be they healthcare entities or practitioners – maintain ownership of the actual documentation created in the course of delivering care. Providers maintain health records due to their role in documenting patient encounters and clinical decisions, which are crucial for ongoing patient care, compliance, and legal protection.

Patients do retain certain rights concerning their health information, including the right to access and request amendments, but they do not have ownership of the records. Insurance companies temporarily have rights to the information in terms of billing and claims, but they do not own the health records either. The perspective that no one owns the health record misinterprets the legal framework surrounding medical records and the responsibilities involved in maintaining them. Thus, the ownership of health records lies primarily with the providers who generated the information.