Who owns the health record?

• A. Provider who generated the information
• B. Patient
• C. No one
• D. Insurance company who paid for the care recorded in the record

Answer: (A)

Ownership of the health record lies with the entity that creates and maintains it—the provider. The provider is responsible for documenting care, safeguarding the information, and managing its retention and disclosure under legal requirements. The patient has rights to access and obtain copies of the record, but that does not make the patient the owner. The insurer does not own the record, even though they may pay for services. This arrangement ensures accountability and proper management of confidential health information, while still granting patients the right to access what’s in their record.