Health tips
Mar 20, 2025
Who owns healthcare records in California?
The doctor or hospital owns the actual record, but you own the information in it in the sense that you have the right to access it whenever you need.
Summary: in California, medical records are legally owned by the healthcare provider (the doctor or hospital) who prepares them, not by the patient. But you as the patient have strong rights: you can view the original records and obtain copies of them by law.
Who has ownership of healthcare records?
When you go to the doctor, they keep a file with information about your health. This file is called a medical record. It can be on a computer or on paper, and it includes things like your check-up notes, test results, and X-rays. But who actually owns this medical record, and how long does it need to be kept? In California, there are special laws that answer these questions. You might think you own that record (after all, it’s about your health), but in California the law says the healthcare provider – like the doctor or hospital – owns the actual medical record.
In other words, the doctor’s office or hospital keeps the original file, and it’s considered their property. This includes everything in the file, even things like X-ray films or MRI scans – those originals belong to the provider or facility that made them.
However, this doesn’t mean you can’t see your own records. Even though the physical record is owned by the provider, you have the right to access the information in it. California medical records law (Health & Safety Code §§123100-123149.5) gives patients the right to see and get copies of their medical records.
In fact, if you ask for your records in writing, the doctor must let you look at your records within 5 working days (about a week) and give you a copy within 15 days (read more here and here) This is a state law that helps patients stay informed about their own health.
When you request a copy of your records, the office is allowed to charge a small fee to cover copying costs (California law says about 25 cents per page is a reasonable charge). But they cannot refuse to give you your records just because you ask. The important thing is that it’s your health information. You have the right to know what’s in your medical file and keep a copy for yourself. If a doctor refuses to give you a copy that you requested properly, they can get in trouble – you could even file a complaint with the Medical Board of California to enforce your rights. And remember, this right applies to all parts of your record. Even though, for example, an X-ray image itself is kept by the hospital, you are allowed to see that X-ray or get a copy of it.
These laws make sure that while doctors keep and safeguard the records, you can always access information about your own health when you need to. To keep you records continuously updated throughout your life with no hustle, use SlothMD.
Find out the benefits of health records for patients or read our in-depth overview of healthcare record ownership in California and a bite-sized overview for the U.S.
External links to help you dig deep into the topic:
