In Elam v CollegePark, medical records contained information on lawsuits against which professional?

• A. Podiatrist
• B. Cardiologist
• C. Surgeon
• D. Dentist

Answer: (A)

Medical records should document information directly related to the patient’s care and avoid third-party litigation history unless it directly affects treatment. In Elam v CollegePark, the chart included information about lawsuits against a podiatrist. That kind of third-party legal history isn’t relevant to the patient’s care and raises privacy concerns, so it’s not appropriate to include in the medical record. This case is used to illustrate why only information pertinent to the patient’s health and treatment should appear in their chart.