Who mostly have the legal right to view the medical record of a patient?

Answer 1

In the United States (as of August 2009) there are privacy laws to protect medical records. However, in the event of a legal investigation, doctors and pharmacists must comply with law enforcement officials and release private information. The same law is being respected and followed by all medical transcriptionists and medical transcription companies when and as they work with different medical records and transcriptions.

Answer 2

Under HIPAA regulations, only you and your immediate caregivers, and they are bound by law not to disclose them to any unauthorized person. Exceptions: If you are a minor your parent/guardian has access. They can be disclosed to person specifically authorized by you. They can be released under court order.

You may also find some HIPAA certified EMR vendors like CureMD, Allscripts and eclinical works where you can get more detailed information about this regulations.

Correction:

In the US, under HIPAA, here's who can see your records -- roughly:

1. You can, in full -- unless:
   • You can't see your Psychotherapy notes.
   • If you're in prison you cannot demand these records.
   • If showing you these records will put someone else in danger, that part of the record may be redacted.
   • If the Covered Entity (CE) is preparing litigation involving you, that part of your records can be witheld.
   • Records can be withheld in the interest of National Security (never been done yet, that I'm aware of).
   • Healthcare Providers can see all the records without restriction (unless YOU restrict it see below).
   • Payers (Insurance companies, etc.) can see your records, but only the Minimum Necessary to do their job.
   • Clearing Houses (companies that take data from the doctors and organize it in a way the Payers can work with) can see your records, but only the Minimum Necessary.
   • Medicare can, as a Payer for the most part.
2. Other CE's can see your records in the course of providing you healthcare, and ONLY in that event.
3. Business Associates (BA's) under a BA contract that binds them to HIPAA may see the minimum necessary. These are companies employed by CE's that are not themselves CE's.
4. The Court or Grand Jury can subpoena your records.
5. Law Enforcement may write an Administrative Letter that theoretically allows the CE to reveal your records to them. This does not require a warrant anymore; only "good faith" on the officer's part. I am not aware of this actually having been done.
6. The Scty. of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) may see your records as part of administering to HIPAA and related complaints under HIPAA.
7. If you've voluntarily joined a research study, they can see the part of your records pertaining to the study -- and you can't.
8. Anyone you specifically allow in writing may see your records (this is called an Authorization and is a bit tricky to write).
9. Your Personal Representative (in the Medico/Psyche sense), if you have one, may see all your records and has all your rights too.
10. Whoever has your POwer of Attorney, if anyone does, may see some of the records. Usually, the PoA is also Personal Representative, which clears the matter up.
11. Your guardians, if you have any, may see your records in most States. Parts are redacted in some States that apply to pregnancy, AIDS, or anything wherein the information in the records may cause the patient harm.
12. Law Enforcement may see your records (minimum necessary) as part of an investigation of a crime you are suspected of, in the event that the crime occurred in view of the CE.

Note this is is only a brief summary of who is allowed legally to view your records.

Answer 3

I think the immediate family husband wife children not nobody that's not in the family because its confidential records

Another VIew: Parents have the right to see the medical records of their minor children, but other than that, under HIPAA, even spouses do not have access to each others records UNLESS the patient specifically allows it - in writing. The patient may grant anyone access to their records that THEY, alone, authorize.