A spouse can look at the patient's medical records only with the express consent of the patient.
Typically, a domestic violence defendant would not have legal access to the medical records of the victim's spouse unless there is a specific court order granting access. Medical records are protected by privacy laws, and access is usually limited to the individual or entities directly involved in the care of the patient.
For health care providers you've seen who have started to use a patient portal, you can see your medical records online. As of this writing (2012), a small but increasing number of providers have set up patient portals. Contact yours to find out if your records are available for review, or when you can expect them to be online.
Absolutely. The patient is entitled to see all parts of their records except for psychotherapy notes. And the doctor is wise to release those records to the patient when they move their practice -- it saves everyone time in responding to requests for records from the new doc.
At whatever hospital the patient is attending, there is a small office usually called the "records" department, there you will walk in, and give them all your information, usually there is a small fee for sending out your medical records. Under certain conditions, a physician will not disclose the medical records with the patient unless there is another doctor or person of authority that wishes to see the record... in that case the physician or person of authority needs to send in a retrieval letter. If there aren't any disclosure issues on the medical records placed by the initial physician, the medical records can be easily obtained by the patient within two weeks max.
Your husband can only see your medical records with your express permission.
HIPPA does NOT restrict the patient's rights (or in the case of a minor, their parent's or guardian's rights) to see their own records, nor does it restrict anyone whom the patient has specifically designated in writing.
Subpoena's to obtain medication records are necessary in a few instances:Postmortem patients often have records petitioned this way.Cases in which the patient is on trial, criminal or civil are another.Cases in which the patient requires their own records and the covered entity resists.Grand juries can also subpoena medical records.Subpoenas for medical records occur pretty much any time a court or the grand jury needs to see designated record set and there's no other legal way to obtain it.
HIPAA regulations are designed to protect the patient's privacy and covers the situation where spouses are separated, divorcing, or do not always want to share information with each other, this includes medical information. Also you may need to prove you are the spouse. The spouse/wife needs to sign a release allowing information to be shared with specific people and that may be someone other than the husband. A Health Care Proxy or Power of Attorney may be able to get access to the information though only the Health Care Proxy can make medical decisions if they contradict medical advice.
Patient-doctor confidentiality is to ensure that your records, including what you are being treated for, are not available to the general public. The only people who can get access to your medical records are immediate family, and you can possibly even restrict that.
It is a medical house call.
There is already federal legislation and law that protects a patients right to their medical privacy. The "Health Information Portability and Accountability Act of 1966" (HIPAA). HOWEVER: If the patient is a minor or has been ajudged legally incompetent, their guardians will have access to the information. See: http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacysummary.pdf
You would need to talk with the hospital or physician that has your medical records to see if they have an electronic record system. Only about 20% of US physicians have the capability of sending you your medical records electronically. You could have your records transferred to a hospital that does, but that may require you to have an appointment at the hospital.