Who does the patient medical record belong to?

Answer 1

Doctors and hospitals own the patients entire medical records. Patients can have access to their medical records through electronic means via a computer to the relevant diagnostic tests and diagnosis. A patient can also request certain aspects of their medical records in paper form for a fee.

Answer 2

The Patient Medical Record belongs to the hospital, facility, or physician's office. That is why you must seek permission and sign documents to gain access to it.

However, the DATA within the record, for the most part, belongs to the patient. This is why the process does not require the patient to seek permission but instead to request PHI which in turn either must be provided or an exception must be presented. And there is no law requiring the patient to sign for access to their own records, although the CE is allowed to require that.