Final answer:
In addition to patient care management, patient records are used for legal compliance, research and analysis, and billing and reimbursement.
Step-by-step explanation:
Patient records are not only essential documents for patient care management, but they also serve various other purposes. Some of these include:
- Legal and compliance requirements: Patient records are used to comply with legal and regulatory requirements, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which sets standards for protecting patient information and maintaining strict confidentiality.
- Research and analysis: Patient records can be used for biomedical research, epidemiological studies, and clinical trials. They provide valuable data for studying diseases, identifying trends, and evaluating treatment outcomes.
- Billing and reimbursement: Patient records contain information necessary for medical coders and billers to process claims and seek reimbursement from insurance companies.