What is an essential practice regarding access to medical records?

Accessing medical records on a need-to-know basis is crucial for maintaining patient confidentiality and privacy. This practice aligns with legal and ethical standards such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the United States, which emphasizes the importance of safeguarding personal health information. Under this standard, healthcare professionals may access a patient's medical records only if it is necessary for the provision of care or treatment. This helps to ensure that sensitive information is not disclosed to unauthorized individuals, thereby protecting the patient's privacy.

The other options do not adhere to these principles. Freely accessible medical records could lead to misuse of personal information. Sharing medical records via social media raises significant privacy concerns and risks the exposure of private data. Additionally, printing records for every patient may not only be impractical but also contradicts the principle of maintaining confidentiality since physical copies are harder to secure than electronic records. Therefore, the emphasis on a need-to-know basis is a fundamental aspect of responsible medical record management.