Patients who ask for copies of their medical records, even in cases where emergency care may hang in the balance, are running into reluctance and delays, according to a report from CNN. The experience of Fred Holliday and his family illustrates the difficulty and consequences when hospitals fail to provide data in a timely manner, and have many asking, "Who owns a patient's records?" "Every patient has a right to get their medical records," said Elizabeth Lietz of the American Hospital Association. "Our goal is to work with patients to get their records while at the same time protecting their privacy rights." Mr. Holliday suffered in pain from kidney cancer while his wife struggled to have his records released for treatment at another hospital. When asked about the situation, the hospital told CNN: "HIPAA rules don't allow us to talk about a patient."
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