Who Holds the Record · country brief · data as of 2026-10-01Who holds the health record in Barbados?
In 2026, Barbados scores 37 of 100 on a person's right to see, control and share their own health record: rank 108= of 196 countries (likely range 85 to 140), in the Weak band (25 to 44). Who holds the keys: Institutional. Source: Who Holds the Record, SuperTruth, data as of 2026-10-01.
Barbados has a GDPR-style privacy law, but health is not legally sensitive, the main hospital charges $375 per record copy, and no portal is live.
Published · updated · data as of 2026-10-01 · research tool, not legal advice
Can I get my health records in Barbados?
Access to the full record scores 45 of 100 in Barbados, against a median of 43 across 196 countries. The Data Protection Act 2019 promises a free copy within one month, in electronic form if asked electronically. In practice the Queen Elizabeth Hospital lists a $375 fee for a copy of its records, and its promised patient app was not yet live.
Can I control who sees my health record in Barbados?
Control and consent scores 30 of 100 in Barbados, against a median of 30 across 196 countries. Health data is not on the Act's sensitive list, and even sensitive data may be processed for care or public functions without consent. No opt-out from record sharing and no patient-visible access log were found as the hospital moves to one digital system.
Eight rights, against Jamaica, Bahamas, Chile and the EU
| Patient access to the full record20% | 45 | 40 · 45 · 45 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patient control and consent20% | 30 | 30 · 35 · 35 | |
| Privacy and security15% | 44 | 48 · 45 · 40 | |
| Connected care journey15% | 35 | 30 · 35 · 38 | |
| Protection from commercial use10% | 40 | 50 · 40 · 42 | |
| Clinician access at the point of care10% | 30 | 30 · 30 · 35 | |
| Research and trial consent5% | 43 | 46 · 46 · 50 | |
| Clinical AI governance5% | 28 | 25 · 25 · 30 |
Black dot: Barbados. Hollow dots: Jamaica, Bahamas, Chile (scores on the right, same order). Grey line: median of all 196 countries. Dashed teal line: EU median. Overall: Barbados 37, EU median 61. Scores move in steps of about 5; read the rank with its likely range.
What would Barbados need to change to score higher?
Barbados sits in Weak (25 to 44); Mixed starts at 45. The two rights furthest below the 196-country median, weighted, are protection from commercial use (40, median 45) and connected care journey (35, median 38). The published rubric reads:
- Protection from commercial use: Clear limits on selling health data or using it for marketing, covering apps and data brokers as well as providers.
- Connected care journey: Primary care, hospitals, labs, pharmacy, claims and public health linked to one record and used at national scale.
Which laws give health record rights in Barbados?
- Data Protection Act, 2019-29 (2019): Free copy within one month, 72-hour breach notice; health is not listed as sensitive data.
- Barbados Medical Products Act, 2026 (passed as a bill; commencement not verified) (2026): Creates a Medical Products Authority, device rules, ethics clearance and a register of clinical trials.
- Health Services Act, Cap. 44 (1969): Health ministry's public health powers; regulations cover surveillance and investigation of notifiable diseases.
Strain and split context, not scored
- Doctors per 10,000
- 24.0 2023
- Nurses and midwives per 10,000
- 41.4 2023
- Private insurance + out-of-pocket
- 57.0% 2023
- Record reaches private care?
- unknown
Published stories
- none published in the last two years
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