Medical Records, Access to

Medical records provide documentary evidence of a patient's healthcare information. Though there is universal acceptance of the importance of medical records, there is disparity in its application among various nations and systems primarily owing to the differences in cultural and legal frameworks. Health professionals are duty bound to maintain the confidentiality of disclosures by patients and other relevant medical information unless the patient specifically consents for its dissemination to third parties. Disclosure of patient information otherwise is unacceptable and illegal, except in the larger interests of society or when required by the laws of the land. The fundamental aim is to protect patient records from unauthorized access. This chapter provides a broad overview of the topic, with no particular reference to specific countries.