Medicolegal implications of medical records.

Abstract

The problem of ownership and possession of patient's medical records has been reviewed. The apparent fallacies in the presently accepted legal doctrines regarding ownership of the patient's records by health care providers have been submitted. The legal approaches and tactics available to implement the accessibility and availability of his records to the patient have been reviewed. The problems incident to the employment of statutory enactments as a means of putting the patient's record in his possession have been considered. The various legal theories that could conceivably be utilized in establishing this right on a case-to-case basis in the courts have been presented. The medicolegal implications relating to medical records have been discussed.