Hospitals are roadblocks to patient EHR data requests, despite HIPAA

A new study published in JAMA Network Open has found that many U.S. hospitals have policies that make it difficult for patients to obtain their medical records. The study, conducted by Yale University School of Medicine, found discrepancies in the information given to patients during the medical release process. Additionally, many hospitals are not complying with federal regulations, such as HIPAA, regarding patient access to records. Only 53% of the surveyed hospitals provide an option for patients to obtain their medical records, and over half of the hospitals charge above the recommended fee to release electronic records.