Myth Buster: Patients own their health information and medical records

MYTH: Patients own their health information and medical records.
FACT: The person or organization holding the information, such as a physician or hospital, generally owns the information. 
 
Patients who disclose sensitive information about their health history and personal information such as their social security number may continue to think of that information as “theirs” even if they give it to a provider for the purpose of receiving healthcare services.  In fact, once a patient discloses information that becomes part of a healthcare provider’s medical record, the information is now owned by the provider. To learn more about the ownership of medical records and how that relates to rights granted by HIPAA, please see our Myth Buster below.