Health Record Rights Index · country brief · this country's data as of 2026-10-01
Who holds the health record in El Salvador?
In 2026, El Salvador scores 47 of 100 on a person's right to see, control and share their own health record: rank 60= of 198 countries (likely range 47 to 82), 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 (55, against a median of 34 across 198 countries); its weakest is privacy and security (42, median 45).
El Salvador gave patients new data rights in 2024 and a state AI telemedicine app in 2025, but public records are shared without individual choice.
Published · updated · this country's data as of 2026-10-01 · research tool, not legal advice
47overall, of 100 · Mixed
60=rank of 198
Statewho holds the keys
mediumconfidence
80 · Goldevidence grade (DTI)
Can I get my health records in El Salvador?
Access to the full record scores 50 of 100 in El Salvador, against a median of 43 across 198 countries. The 2024 data law gives free access within 20 working days, and a 2026 ministry rule adds copies, summaries and export of the electronic record. No national portal shows the public record; the DoctorSV app shows only its own visits.
Can I control who sees my health record in El Salvador?
Control and consent scores 45 of 100 in El Salvador, against a median of 30 across 198 countries. Health data may be used for care without consent, and each person's digital record is open to all public providers, with no opt-out. Every access must be logged and the data law lets patients learn who consulted their data, but practice was not verified.
Eight rights, against Argentina, United States, Peru and the EU
Patient access to the full record20%
50
60 · 50 · 45
Patient control and consent20%
45
48 · 35 · 44
Privacy and security15%
42
42 · 50 · 50
Connected care journey15%
52
45 · 60 · 35
Protection from commercial use10%
48
45 · 38 · 55
Clinician access at the point of care10%
55
42 · 55 · 34
Research and trial consent5%
46
49 · 49 · 49
Clinical AI governance5%
35
40 · 56 · 56
Black dot: El Salvador. Hollow dots: Argentina, United States, Peru (scores on the right, same order). Grey line: median of all 198 countries. Dashed teal line: EU median. Overall: El Salvador 47, EU median 61. Scores move in steps of about 5; read the rank with its likely range.
What would El Salvador need to change to score higher?
El Salvador sits in Mixed (45 to 64); Strong starts at 65. The two rights furthest below the 198-country median, weighted, are privacy and security (42, median 45) and research and trial consent (46, 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 El Salvador?
Decreto 307, Ley de Deberes y Derechos de los Pacientes y Prestadores de Servicios de Salud (2016): Right to information, confidentiality of the record, and written consent for medical research.
Decreto 302, Ley del Sistema Nacional Integrado de Salud (2019): Creates a single health information system and one digital record per user across public providers.
Decreto 144, Ley para la Proteccion de Datos Personales (2024): Health data sensitive; free access; 72-hour breach notice; fines up to 40 minimum wages.
Strain and split context, not scored
Doctors per 10,000
16.2 2023
Nurses and midwives per 10,000
21.8 2022
Private insurance + out-of-pocket
36.4% 2023
Record reaches private care?
unknown
Published stories
2026-08-26 · Diario El Mundo Doctors' union says social security computer failures are slowing electronic records and care
2026-07-20 · Revista Factum Family refused a relative's medical record on privacy grounds while she could not consent
In 2026, El Salvador scored 47 of 100 on a person's right to see, control and share their own health record, rank 60= of 198 countries (likely range 47 to 82) (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/SLV/
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/SLV/#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.
