What is commonly referred to as a written record of a patient's diagnosis, care, and treatment?

The term "medical record" refers to a comprehensive document that captures a patient's health information, including diagnoses, treatments, medications, and other relevant medical data. This record is essential for providing continuous care and maintaining a detailed history of the patient's health over time.

It is often maintained by healthcare providers and can include a variety of information such as laboratory results, imaging studies, and notes from various healthcare professionals involved in the patient's care. The medical record serves not only clinical purposes but also legal, administrative, and research functions in healthcare.

While options like "medical chart," "medical history," and "patient file" may seem similar, they are not as encompassing as "medical record." A medical chart typically refers to a specific collection of documents within the medical record, often used during a particular visit or stay. Medical history usually encompasses a patient's personal and family health background rather than the ongoing records of care and treatment. A patient file may informally describe a collection of documents pertaining to a patient but lacks the formal designation and comprehensiveness that "medical record" conveys.