Medical records: confidentiality.

The Confidentiality of Medical Information Act requires that every provider of health care, health care service plan, pharmaceutical company, and contractor who creates, maintains, preserves, stores, abandons, destroys, or disposes of medical records do so in a manner that preserves the confidentiality of the information contained in the records, and provides that negligence in conducting these activities may result in damages or an administrative fine or civil penalty, as specified. Existing law also makes a violation of these provision that results in economic loss or personal injury to a patient punishable as a misdemeanor.