Practice Management Alert

Just how long is long enough for keeping inactive patient records? Question: We have so many files we-re hanging onto for patients who haven't been to our practice in years. Some of the patients are dead. How long are we required to keep these files, and do they need to be kept in our office where we can access them quickly?

Before you shred patient files, check with federal and state regulations to ensure you-ve kept the records long enough. Otherwise, you-re opening your practice up to compliance headaches and potential problems defending yourself in a lawsuit if you can't provide documentation. Check State Regulations First The rules for how long you should keep records for patients who are no longer with your practice for whatever reason vary by state.

Minimum: Hold on to the records for at least six years, which is the federal minimum for records retention after the patient is last seen. However, many states mandate that practices keep records longer than six years. State law has more authority than federal statutes in this case.

Best bet: Check with your state's web site and with your malpractice carrier to get the latest guidelines for your area, says Susan Billock, patient accounts manager for Certified Emergency Medicine Specialists PC in Grand Rapids, Mich. The rule may change based on whether you work for a private physician or a public hospital as well.

Example: For example, physicians in Florida must keep medical records for at least five years after their last contact with the patient. Public hospitals in Florida, however, must keep their medical records at least seven years after the patient has been discharged. Alter Your Thinking for Minors Regulations are different for records for underage patients. Practices often have to keep records for minor patients longer than the general state mandate.

Reason: This is because the law requires you to keep the records for a period of time after the patient reaches -adult- status, which could be anywhere from age 18 to 21, depending on the state. Again, checking with state's regulations will let you know if your office is being compliant. Consider Keeping Records for 10 Years Good idea: Even if your state requires that you keep records for less than 10 years, you may want to make it your office's policy to keep the records for longer than required. For example, the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) recommends practices keep records for a decade after the date the patient was last seen, regardless of the particular state regulation.

-I have had many patients call me years after their service was rendered wanting to know what they were seen for and such. Most of these cases are patients that [...]