What is the appropriate action for a hospital when a patient requests records not maintained electronically?

When a patient requests records that are not maintained electronically, the appropriate action for a hospital is to provide the records in paper format. This is because if the records are only available in a physical format, the hospital is obligated to fulfill the request in that format. Healthcare facilities must comply with laws and regulations regarding patient access to their medical records, and that compliance includes providing records that exist in physical form as they are, unless other arrangements are made that align with patient preferences and hospital policies.

Consequently, while options involving electronic formats may seem convenient or modern, they are not applicable if the original records are strictly in paper form. The hospital's primary responsibility is to ensure that patients have access to their information, respecting the format in which that information currently exists.