aafp - how long does a medical office need to keep medical records ? ?
The law allows licensed health care institutions to create, maintain or use medical records or medical record systems in electronic format, paper, or both if the system can store medical records and patient health care information in a reproducible and secure manner. (PA 05-168; CGS  19a-25c). Report Abuse. It depends on the hospital/clinic/doctor's office. For instance, most teaching facilities keep records for about 5-7 years. But all you need to do in order to obtain a copy of your records is to contact the Medical Records department of the hospital and request a copy. The provider must also notify a patient of any test results in his possession or requested by the provider for purposes of diagnosis, treatment, or prognosis. (CGS  20-7c(b)). A patient may obtain copies of his or her medical records by asking the provider in writing. At a minimum, store patient records for the duration of your state’s statute of limitations. (Your state medical board should be able to help.) If your state extends the statute of limitations for minors and persons who are incompetent, then you may need to permanently retain those records. The law specifically says that its provisions for patients' access to their records (cited above, CGS  20-7c(a)-(d)) do not apply to “any information relative to any psychiatric or psychological problems or conditions.” (CGS  20-7c(e)). Question: How long do we need to keep medical charts? Answer: Federal and state statutes and regulations as well as risk-management and ethical concerns determine the amount of time to retain patient records. Patient records are the written proof of your medical care and, thus, the best defense in any malpractice or other legal or administrative actions filed against you or your practice. By law, most healthcare providers must keep records for no less than 10 years after a patient's last visit. If the patient is a minor, doctors must keep records for at least 10 years after the final office visit or until the child is 19 years old, whichever is longer. Tenn. Code Ann. § 68-11-305. A reasonable fee for providing copies of medical records in electronic format is a charge of no more than: $25 for 500 pages or less and $50 for more than 500 pages. Also, a reasonable fee of up to $15 may be charged for executing an affidavit, if requested. To learn if your physician has been sued, contact the court clerk in the county where your physician practices. Physicians are required to provide a description of any medical malpractice claim to the TMB for publication on the physician profile. Texas statutes do not require physicians to carry malpractice insurance. Mail a written request for records to the physician by certified mail, return receipt requested. This method provides assurance that the request was delivered. State law allows a patient to obtain a copy of his records, or ask that a copy be sent to a new doctor or someone else, such as an insurance company.
Healthcare providers must keep records for no less than 10 years after a patient's last visit.