Traditionally, ownership of the physical health record has been granted to whom?

• A. The patient
• B. The healthcare provider who generates the record
• C. The hospital
• D. The insurer

Answer: (B)

Ownership of the physical health record is tied to who creates and maintains it. Traditionally, the clinician or healthcare facility that generates the chart owns the physical document and is responsible for its custody and upkeep. The patient isn’t the owner of the paper file itself, though they do have legally protected rights to access the information it contains and to obtain copies. The hospital or insurer may handle copies or access in various ways, but the core ownership of the physical record lies with the provider who creates and preserves it. In modern practice, patient access rights and electronic records add nuance, but the traditional view emphasizes the provider as the owner of the physical record.