Both a medical release and liability form and a hold harmless agreement have the same purpose, which is to indemnify a party from suing the other party. Also, these two are often used interchangeably and combined. But, some organizations prefer specifying and categorizing the indemnification that they want, so they use a medical release and liability form for events and activities where medical issues and concerns may arise. One example is during educational field trips where a child may be exposed to risks and injuries, therefore, needing medical attention. On the other hand, hold harmless agreements are more on broad terms and conditions, and usually used in business settings.