Retention of Patient Information

Medical records always have a statute of limitations, no matter the timescale.

Different states have varying laws regarding the retention of patient information. The kind of information retained also comes into consideration; it often depends on the patient's treatment and the medical center which he attends.

The AMIMA Rules

The American Health Information Management Association provides a guideline detailing the length of time a patient's medical records can be kept in certain circumstances. For example, the health and medical records of an adult patient can only be held for ten years. Images of a patient--such as an x-ray--can usually only be held for five years.

Department Differences

Not all medical centers have the same requirements. The retention laws for abortion centers--which allows a maximum of three years for retention--are different from rural health centers. Health center allow up to six years of patient retention from the last entry.

State Differences

As mentioned, the record retention laws also differ across states. For instances, Arizona doesn't have a set statute for the retention of medical patient information, although the statute of limitations regarding the records of minors is two years once they turn 18. Nursing home information in Florida has to be kept for at least five years, while, in Hawaii, medical images can be kept for up to seven years.

References

• Southern Methodist University: Retention of Health Information

Resources

• American Health Information Management Association