Personal data protection and the handling of medical records
A medical record is a collection of medical records of a patient that are processed in connection with treatment, or obtained from elsewhere for his treatment in a healthcare institution or a healthcare professional's office.
This applies to all institutions and private offices where healthcare services are provided, with or without state funding, and healthcare professionals work.
The patient's medical records may include descriptions or interpretations in written language, images, including X-rays, graphs and video and audio recordings containing information about the patient's health and treatment and other necessary personal information.
Information from a medical record is considered sensitive personal information and special rules apply to the processing of such information according to the Data Protection Act.
The importance of data protection in the processing of medical records
The provisions of the law on personal protection and the processing of personal data apply to medical records and their treatment, insofar as the law on medical records does not otherwise stipulate.
Information from medical records are considered sensitive personal data in the meaning of data protection legislation. Specific rules apply to the processing of sensitive personal data. Information on those specific rules can be found here.
In the process of recording and storing medical records and access to them, the privacy and self-determination of patients shall be respected and it should be acknowledged that medical records should always be kept confidential.
