Your Right to Access and Amend Your Medical Records

This segment of The Law and You features personal injury trial lawyer Lara Johnson discussing your right to your own medical records.

TRANSCRIPT

JOEL: This is Joel Block for The Law and You with Eugene attorney Lara Johnson. Lara, there have been many laws passed to protect our medical records. How do they affect our own access to them?

LARA: Joel, these laws–known as HIPAA–are meant to protect personal privacy by restricting other people’s access to your medical records. Consumers and attorneys helped bring about this legal protection. These laws do not prevent your access to your own records. The law gives you the “right to access” and the “right to amend.” This means that you–or your designated person–can obtain a copy of your medical records within 30 days. You can also ask to have information added or amended to make the records more accurate or complete. If you can’t get your records, you have the right to file a complaint.

JOEl: Thanks, Lara. If you have a legal question or for a copy of How the Law Works, visit CorsonJohnsonLaw.com. The Law and You is a community service and does not replace the advice of an attorney.

The Corson & Johnson Law Firm, an Oregon personal injury trial law firm, produced and distributed The Law and You as a public service to help families and consumers answer questions about our legal system and how it works for them. The Law and You spots were aired on KKNU, KMGE, KEUG, and KODZ.  Please note that laws may have changed since a public service spot was aired.  If you have suggestions for legal questions or topics you would like addressed, please contact us.