Under what conditions can a health care provider deny a request for patient records?

A health care provider can deny a request for patient records if disclosing those records would likely endanger another person or reference another person. This is rooted in the ethical obligation and legal responsibility of health care providers to protect the safety and confidentiality of individuals. If the information in the records could potentially harm someone—such as in cases involving sensitive health information, mental health discussions, or instances of abuse—providers have a duty to withhold that information from being disclosed to prevent harm.

Additionally, this rationale aligns with various regulations, including those outlined in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which emphasize the importance of safeguarding not just patient privacy, but also the safety of others who may be mentioned in the medical records. Therefore, the health care provider's decision to deny access under such circumstances is in compliance with legal and ethical standards.

In contrast, while requests from minors, third parties, or concerns about outdated records may present complexities, none of these reasons specifically justify the denial of access based on potential harm to individuals. Minors can often have their records accessed with parental consent, requests from third parties may still be honored if appropriate legal steps are taken, and outdated records typically remain accessible unless specific laws state otherwise.