Health Record Rights Index · country brief · this country's data as of October 1, 2026
Who holds the health record in El Salvador?
In 2026, El Salvador scores 47 out of 100 for how much say a person has over their own health record. It is tied for 60th of 198 countries and territories, and could rank anywhere from 47th to 82nd allowing for scoring error, in the Mixed band (45 to 64). Who holds the keys: the government. Source: Health Record Rights Index, SuperTruth, this country's data as of October 1, 2026.
The government decides, with limited say for the person. Its strongest right, compared with the typical country, is doctors see it when treating you (55 out of 100, against 33 to 34 for the typical country). The furthest behind is privacy and security (42 out of 100, against 45 for the typical country).
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 October 1, 2026 · research tool, not legal advice
overall score · Mixed band, 45 to 64
47/100
rank among 198 countries and territories; likely 47th to 82nd, allowing for scoring error
Low confidence. Thin evidence on 4 of the 8 rights: your copy, who sees it, joined-up record and doctors see it. The evidence grade rates all our sources together; confidence looks at each right. Neither changes the score.
Questions people ask
Can I see my health record in El Salvador?
In 2026, getting your full record scores 50 out of 100 in El Salvador; the typical country scores 40 to 45. 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. Source: Asamblea Legislativa, November 15, 2024, and the other sources below.
Who controls health records in El Salvador?
In 2026, the government holds the keys to your health record in El Salvador. Control over who sees it scores 45 out of 100 in El Salvador; the typical country scores 30. 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. Source: Asamblea Legislativa, November 15, 2024, and the other sources below.
How does El Salvador compare?
In 2026, El Salvador scores 47 out of 100, against 39 for the typical country. This brief compares it with Argentina (48 out of 100), United States (48 out of 100) and Peru (45 out of 100). Source: the ranking of all 198 countries and territories.
Eight rights, compared with Argentina, United States, Peru and the typical country
Scores out of 100, by right
Getting your full record20%
50
60 · 50 · 45
Control over who sees it20%
45
48 · 35 · 44
Privacy and security15%
42
42 · 50 · 50
One record across your care15%
52
45 · 60 · 35
Protection from sale and ads10%
48
45 · 38 · 55
Doctors see it when treating you10%
55
42 · 55 · 34
Your say over research use5%
46
49 · 49 · 49
Rules for AI in your care5%
35
40 · 56 · 56
Black dot: El Salvador. Hollow dots: Argentina, United States, Peru (scores out of 100 on the right, same order). Gray line: the typical country of all 198. Overall: El Salvador 47 out of 100. Scores move in steps of about 5 points, so read a 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. Its weakest right, compared with the typical country, is privacy and security (42 out of 100, against 45 for the typical country). Every other right is at or above the typical country; the one with the most room to grow, weighted, is control over who sees it (45 out of 100, against 30 for the typical country). Our scoring rules give more points for:
Privacy and security: A health data regulator that is independent and actually acts: it decides cases about health records, breaches must be reported, and fines are applied.
Control over who sees it: A way to say no to sharing (or to be asked first), a log you can read of who opened your record, and finer choices about who sees what. Together these put this right at 60 to 80 out of 100.
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.
Doctors, waits and private care context, not part of the score
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
Real cases
August 26, 2026 · Diario El Mundo Doctors' union says social security computer failures are slowing electronic records and care
July 20, 2026 · Revista Factum Family refused a relative's medical record on privacy grounds while she could not consent
In 2026, El Salvador scored 47 out of 100 for how much say a person has over their own health record, tied for 60th of 198 countries and territories (could be 47th to 82nd), in the Mixed band. Who holds the keys: the government. Source: Health Record Rights Index, SuperTruth, this country's data as of October 1, 2026, https://healthrecordrights.com/brief/el-salvador/
The 17 sources for El Salvador
Each source appears once, under the first right it supports. Titles are shown as our research agents recorded them, usually in the page's own language; text in square brackets is our machine translation. Links were checked on the date shown.
Getting your full record (4 sources)
“Decreto 144, Ley para la Proteccion de Datos Personales” [Decree 144, Law for the Protection of Personal Data] our machine translation
Asamblea Legislativa [Legislative Assembly] (law or regulation) · Title in Spanish
Dated November 15, 2024 · Link checked October 3, 2026 (opened)
Used for: Getting your full record; Control over who sees it; Privacy and security; Protection from sale and ads; Your say over research use
“Decreto 307, Ley de Deberes y Derechos de los Pacientes y Prestadores de Servicios de Salud” [Decree 307, Law on the Duties and Rights of Patients and Health Service Providers] our machine translation
Asamblea Legislativa [Legislative Assembly] (law or regulation) · Title in Spanish
Dated April 8, 2016 · Link checked October 3, 2026 (opened)
Used for: Getting your full record; Your say over research use
“DoctorSV usara datos personales y de salud para investigaciones cientificas” [DoctorSV will use personal and health data for scientific research] our machine translation
Diario El Mundo (news) · Title in Spanish
Dated November 18, 2025 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
Used for: Control over who sees it; Your say over research use
“UNESCO insta a mejorar proteccion de datos ante uso de IA en El Salvador” [UNESCO urges improved data protection in the face of AI use in El Salvador] our machine translation
La Prensa Grafica (news) · Title in Spanish
Dated June 11, 2026 · Link checked October 3, 2026 (blocked by the site's bot protection)
“Modernizacion del sistema publico de salud se fortalece al integrar servicios” [Modernisation of the public health system is strengthened by integrating services] our machine translation
Presidencia [Presidency] (government guidance) · Title in Spanish
Dated July 9, 2022 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
“Plataforma digital MINSAL ya se integro al expediente electronico ISSS” [MINSAL digital platform has now been integrated with the ISSS electronic record] our machine translation
La Prensa Grafica (news) · Title in Spanish
Dated June 27, 2025 · Link checked October 3, 2026 (blocked by the site's bot protection)
Used for: One record across your care; Doctors see it when treating you
“Evaluaran impacto y rendimiento de la inteligencia artificial en aplicacion DoctorSV” [Impact and performance of artificial intelligence in the DoctorSV application will be evaluated] our machine translation
La Prensa Grafica (news) · Title in Spanish
Dated April 27, 2026 · Link checked October 3, 2026 (blocked by the site's bot protection)
“Digitalizacion del sistema de salud permite consultar expediente en linea” [Digitalisation of the health system allows records to be consulted online] our machine translation
Diario El Salvador (news) · Title in Spanish
Dated April 14, 2023 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
“RTS 11.03.02:21 Dispositivos medicos, requisitos para la regulacion sanitaria” [RTS 11.03.02:21 Medical devices, requirements for health regulation] our machine translation
OSARTEC (law or regulation) · Title in Spanish
No date recorded · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
Used for: Your say over research use; Rules for AI in your care
“El Salvador avanza hacia una inteligencia artificial centrada en las personas” [El Salvador advances towards people-centred artificial intelligence] our machine translation
UNESCO (international body) · Title in Spanish
Dated June 18, 2026 · Link checked October 2, 2026 (opened)
SuperTruth Inc. · 24 S. 24th St., Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA · +1 215 918 4140 · supertruth.ai Something wrong? Tell us · Questions 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™: the Data Trust Index, which grades the evidence behind each score. SuperTruth makes it and publishes this index. 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/el-salvador/#sources. SuperTruth built this index and sells health data verification products; no one paid to be included. Research tool, not legal advice. Our scores and our own words are CC BY 4.0; quoted law and source titles stay with their owners.
