Who Holds the Record · country brief · data as of 2026-10-01Who holds the health record in Guatemala?
In 2026, Guatemala scores 32 of 100 on a person's right to see, control and share their own health record: rank 149= of 196 countries (likely range 111 to 169), in the Weak band (25 to 44). Who holds the keys: Institutional. Source: Who Holds the Record, SuperTruth, data as of 2026-10-01.
Guatemala has no general data law; patients can request what the state holds on them, but records stay split between MSPAS, IGSS and private clinics.
Published · updated · data as of 2026-10-01 · research tool, not legal advice
Can I get my health records in Guatemala?
Access to the full record scores 40 of 100 in Guatemala, against a median of 43 across 196 countries. The Constitution and the 2008 access law let people get what state bodies, including IGSS, hold on them within 10 working days, paying only reproduction costs. Score is the 45 base minus 5 because private clinics are not covered, with no patient portal.
Can I control who sees my health record in Guatemala?
Control and consent scores 28 of 100 in Guatemala, against a median of 30 across 196 countries. State bodies may pass personal data between themselves without consent, and no opt-out or patient-visible access log was found. IGSS logs every change to its electronic record, but gives the patient no way to see that log.
Eight rights, against Saint Lucia, Nicaragua, Antigua and Barbuda and the EU
| Patient access to the full record20% | 40 | 25 · 35 · 35 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patient control and consent20% | 28 | 30 · 25 · 30 | |
| Privacy and security15% | 30 | 38 · 25 · 42 | |
| Connected care journey15% | 30 | 35 · 34 · 28 | |
| Protection from commercial use10% | 35 | 35 · 35 · 42 | |
| Clinician access at the point of care10% | 28 | 32 · 30 · 25 | |
| Research and trial consent5% | 46 | 46 · 46 · 43 | |
| Clinical AI governance5% | 22 | 20 · 40 · 20 |
Black dot: Guatemala. Hollow dots: Saint Lucia, Nicaragua, Antigua and Barbuda (scores on the right, same order). Grey line: median of all 196 countries. Dashed teal line: EU median. Overall: Guatemala 32, EU median 61. Scores move in steps of about 5; read the rank with its likely range.
What would Guatemala need to change to score higher?
Guatemala sits in Weak (25 to 44); Mixed starts at 45. The two rights furthest below the 196-country median, weighted, are privacy and security (30, median 45) and connected care journey (30, median 38). The published rubric reads:
- Privacy and security: Health-sector enforcement on the record: an independent regulator deciding health-data cases, breach notification and penalties applied.
- 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 Guatemala?
- Constitucion Politica de la Republica, Articulo 31 (1985): Right to know, correct and update what state archives and registers hold about you.
- Decreto 57-2008, Ley de Acceso a la Informacion Publica (2008): Habeas data for public bodies; health data sensitive; ban and prison terms for selling personal data.
- Decreto 90-97, Codigo de Salud (1997): Right to privacy and professional secrecy in health; national health information system.
Strain and split context, not scored
- Doctors per 10,000
- 16.3 2024
- Nurses and midwives per 10,000
- 22.7 2023
- Private insurance + out-of-pocket
- 60.6% 2023
- Record reaches private care?
- unknown
Published stories
- 2026-09-03 · Infobae Ransomware locked a national hospital's clinical planning records, delaying sessions for 194 patients
- 2026-04-13 · Prensa Libre Health ministry confirms attack encrypted files at its national laboratory
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