Which statement is true about employee access to medical records?

The statement that access to medical records is restricted to work-related needs is accurate because under HIPAA regulations, employees are only permitted to access protected health information (PHI) that is necessary for them to perform their job duties. This ensures that patient confidentiality is maintained and that sensitive information is not accessed unnecessarily. When employees access medical records, it should be solely for the purpose of providing care, administrative functions, or other job-related duties. This aligns with the principles of minimum necessary access, which emphasizes limiting exposure to PHI to what is necessary for the task at hand.

The other options do not comply with HIPAA regulations, which are designed to protect patient privacy and restrict access to their medical records. Free access (as described in the first option) and personal inquiries (as described in the third option) undermine patient confidentiality. The last option, suggesting that employees must never access any records, overlooks the fact that access can be appropriate when confines to work-related purposes. Thus, maintaining access strictly within the parameters of work-related needs is essential for upholding the integrity of patient information while also allowing for the necessary functions to be fulfilled.