Health Record Rights Index · country brief · this country's data as of 2026-10-01
Who holds the health record in Costa Rica?
In 2026, Costa Rica scores 54 of 100 on a person's right to see, control and share their own health record: rank 44= of 198 countries (likely range 27 to 55), in the Mixed band (45 to 64). Who holds the keys: State. Source: Health Record Rights Index, SuperTruth, this country's data as of 2026-10-01.
The government decides, with limited individual say. Its strongest right against the other countries is clinician access at the point of care (65, against a median of 34 across 198 countries); its weakest is privacy and security (40, median 45).
Costa Rica runs one national digital record (EDUS) across public care; patients can view and share parts of it but cannot opt out.
Published · updated · this country's data as of 2026-10-01 · research tool, not legal advice
54overall, of 100 · Mixed
44=rank of 198
Statewho holds the keys
mediumconfidence
87 · Goldevidence grade (DTI)
Can I get my health records in Costa Rica?
Access to the full record scores 64 of 100 in Costa Rica, against a median of 43 across 198 countries. Ley 8239 gives a right to a copy, and the EDUS app lets patients download an authenticated copy showing diagnoses, medicines, allergies and visits, not the full chart. App usage was not verified, so the score sits in the lower half of the portal band.
Can I control who sees my health record in Costa Rica?
Control and consent scores 48 of 100 in Costa Rica, against a median of 30 across 198 countries. EDUS data is collected without patient consent and is visible to any CCSS user with the right access level, with no opt-out. Every action is logged, and a patient can ask their clinic for a certified access record.
Eight rights, against Brazil, Canada, Uruguay and the EU
Patient access to the full record20%
64
62 · 50 · 65
Patient control and consent20%
48
35 · 55 · 66
Privacy and security15%
40
58 · 58 · 57
Connected care journey15%
68
55 · 50 · 60
Protection from commercial use10%
52
55 · 45 · 52
Clinician access at the point of care10%
65
50 · 55 · 58
Research and trial consent5%
45
50 · 49 · 49
Clinical AI governance5%
30
57 · 56 · 30
Black dot: Costa Rica. Hollow dots: Brazil, Canada, Uruguay (scores on the right, same order). Grey line: median of all 198 countries. Dashed teal line: EU median. Overall: Costa Rica 54, EU median 61. Scores move in steps of about 5; read the rank with its likely range.
What would Costa Rica need to change to score higher?
Costa Rica sits in Mixed (45 to 64); Strong starts at 65. The two rights furthest below the 198-country median, weighted, are privacy and security (40, median 45) and research and trial consent (45, median 46). The published rubric reads:
Privacy and security: Health-sector enforcement on the record: an independent regulator deciding health-data cases, breach notification and penalties applied.
Research and trial consent: A general opt-out that is honoured, or dynamic or opt-in consent, with a public register of research uses: 55 to 85.
Which laws give health record rights in Costa Rica?
Ley 8239 (derechos y deberes de las personas usuarias de los servicios de salud) (2002): Right to access and copy one's clinical record, confidentiality, and to refuse research.
Ley 8968 (proteccion de la persona frente al tratamiento de sus datos personales) (2011): General data law; health data sensitive; creates PRODHAB; fines up to 30 base salaries.
Ley 9162 (expediente digital unico de salud) (2013): Mandates one national digital health record run by the CCSS; all its data private and sensitive.
Strain and split context, not scored
Doctors per 10,000
26.9 2022 · OECD 33 of 38
Nurses and midwives per 10,000
30.7 2022 · OECD 36 of 38
Private insurance + out-of-pocket
28.6% 2023 · OECD 10 of 35
Record reaches private care?
partial
Compulsory private insurance, counted separately: 1.6% of health spending (2023).
"Private hospitals and clinics are not connected beyond the patient's share code."
Published stories
2026-05-28 · La Nación Constitutional court says TV channels breached privacy by airing a person's prescriptions
2024-11-28 · La Nación Public insurer admits staff typing error put a stranger's appointment in a patient's record
In 2026, Costa Rica scored 54 of 100 on a person's right to see, control and share their own health record, rank 44= of 198 countries (likely range 27 to 55) (Mixed; who holds the keys: State). Source: Health Record Rights Index, SuperTruth, this country's data as of 2026-10-01, https://healthrecordrights.com/brief/CRI/
SuperTruth Inc. · 24 S. 24th St., Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA · +1 215 918 4140 · supertruth.ai Questions, corrections or a briefing: supertruth.ai/on-the-record#contact · Full index: healthrecordrights.com
OECD: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (38 mostly high-income countries). DTI: SuperTruth's Data Trust Index, grading the evidence behind each score. Everything here comes from public information: laws, government and regulator pages, court decisions, published news, WHO, OECD and World Bank data. Full sources: https://healthrecordrights.com/brief/CRI/#sources. SuperTruth built this index and sells health data verification products; no one paid to be included. Research tool, not legal advice. Text and scores CC BY 4.0.
