Whenever you go to a doctor, hospital or clinic information is collected about you and your visit and this health information is stored in your medical record. The list below shows you a number of people and organizations who use your healthcare information and why:

1. Any healthcare professionals who care for you use your medical record to diagnose and treat you as well as to communicate your health status with your healthcare team.
   
2. The legal system uses your medical record as evidence that care was provided to you.
   
3. Your insurance company uses your medical record to verify that the bill they are paying is for care that was, in fact, provided to you.
   
4. Researchers use your medical record as a source for research studies and reporting.
   
5. Hospital administrators and physicians use your medical record as a tool in healthcare planning.
   
6. Healthcare quality rating companies and the government use your medical record as a way to measure quality.
   
7. You use your medical record for own reference and possibly for sharing with relatives with a need to know