<P> Traditionally, medical records were written on paper and maintained in folders often divided into sections for each type of note (progress note, order, test results), with new information added to each section chronologically . Active records are usually housed at the clinical site, but older records are often archived offsite . </P> <P> The advent of electronic medical records has not only changed the format of medical records but has increased accessibility of files . The use of an individual dossier style medical record, where records are kept on each patient by name and illness type originated at the Mayo Clinic out of a desire to simplify patient tracking and to allow for medical research . </P> <P> Maintenance of medical records requires security measures to prevent from unauthorized access or tampering with the records . </P> <P> The medical history is a longitudinal record of what has happened to the patient since birth . It chronicles diseases, major and minor illnesses, as well as growth landmarks . It gives the clinician a feel for what has happened before to the patient . As a result, it may often give clues to current disease state . It includes several subsets detailed below . </P>

Who documents the patient's symptoms in the medical record