Across U.S., anxiety over access to patient records

Federal law stipulates that every patient or a designated representative has the right to see and copy the patient's medical records. But missing or disputed records are the most common source of complaints on USA Today's Patient Safety website, which was created to give readers a venue to express concerns about inadequate medical care. Disputes over medical records often are at the crux of malpractice lawsuits as well. Even when records are provided, they sometimes are obscured, experts say.