You can ask a doctor to keep something off the record although it only applies to certain information.
Doctors are often obligated to maintain accurate medical records about their patients.
Although there can be situations in which a doctor can make some exceptions when it comes to your medical records, although these exceptions are limited and also often tied to specific legal or even ethical considerations.
Doctors have an ethical duty and professional duty to maintain accurate and complete medical records for their patients.
And this professional and ethical duty is often reinforced by laws such as the HIPPA laws in the United States which protects patient privacy, but also allows for the creation and maintenance of medical records.
And the medical records are crucial for patient care as well as continuity of treatments and the potential legal or insurance matters.
However patients do have rights to request and can express their desire for certain information to be kept confidential or not included in their official medical record.
These reasons can include fear or stigma or potential for impact on insurance or even other personal reasons.
Although it's up to the doctor's decision on whether or not to honor the request and it's not always guaranteed.
Some potential exceptions for a doctor to not keep something off the medical record include legal and ethical considerations, emergency situations and legal requirements.
In emergencies, a doctor may need to share information with other healthcare professionals to provide necessary care.
And if the information is deemed clinically relevant to the patient's health or it could potentially impact the patients safety or others, the doctor may then be obligated to include it in the medical record, even if you as the patient prefers it not be.