A 40-year-old member asked:
What are rules for destroying paper and electronic health records?
2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in
Dr. Richard Bensingeranswered
Ophthalmology 54 years experience
Depends: Active files have no expiration date but can be thinned for convenience. Generally files over 7 years old with no clinic visits can be backfiled or destroyed. There are no rules regarding electronic medical records since there is no space issue at work. I am sure some will be issued with time as the storage space on servers starts to become full.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Gutti Raoanswered
Hospital-based practice 48 years experience
Medical records: Health records ( paper) can be destroyed after seven years. This may differ from state to state. You may have to confirm from local medical licensing authority. Not sure about electronic records. Are they not supposed to be for ever?
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Similar questions
A 34-year-old member asked:
What are the regulations for destroying paper and electronic health records?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Gutti Raoanswered
Hospital-based practice 48 years experience
Usually 7 years: Paper charts- 7 years. This may differ by state. Advantage of emr is they can be preserved for ever.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Are paper medical records more secure than electronic health records?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Gutti Raoanswered
Hospital-based practice 48 years experience
Usually 7 years: Paper charts- 7 years. This may differ by state. Advantage of emr is they can be preserved for ever. Paper charts may not be as secure as electronic charts if proper precautions are taken.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
What are the benefits for doctors to convert to electronic health records from a paper-based record?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Gutti Raoanswered
Hospital-based practice 48 years experience
No difference: Whether a doctor has emr or not, that should not impact patient care. There may be some advantages with emr in the long run. Easy transfer of records between specialists, ease of access from anywhere, legibility, prevention of medical errors/ decreased prescription errors etc.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Last updated Oct 3, 2016
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