If you’re getting ready to close your Connecticut medical practice, it’s important to have a clear understanding of medical record retention laws and that you find a professional medical records custodian that you can trust to fulfill records requests after you retire or move on to a different job. Looking for a trusted medical records custodian in Connecticut can be a challenging task. You need to ensure top quality, accuracy, and trusted service.
Desert River Solutions is a leading medical records custodian that provides electronic medical records extraction and document scanning services for medical and dental practices, hospitals, and related businesses. Our medical record management process and medical record storage facilities are HIPAA compliant. We are medical record management experts who convert paper records to electronic forms and assist with electronic health record (EHR) extraction at large volumes turnaround.
Not sure how to handle Connecticut medical record retention legal requirements after closing your practice? Read on for more information about laws and hiring a custodian of medical records or contact us to learn more today.
Connecticut Medical Records Retention Laws
Connecticut Laws for Minors’ Medical Record Retention
Providers:
Unless specified otherwise herein, all parts of a medical record shall be retained for a period of seven (7) years from the last date of treatment, or, upon the death of the patient, for three (3) years.
Hospitals:
Medical records other than nurse’s notes shall be filed in an accessible manner in the hospital and shall be kept for a minimum of twenty-five years after discharge of patients, except that original medical records may be destroyed sooner if they are microfilmed by a process approved by the state department of health.
Connecticut Laws for Adults’ Medical Record Retention
Providers:
Unless specified otherwise herein, all parts of a medical record shall be retained for a period of seven (7) years from the last date of treatment, or, upon the death of the patient, for three (3) years.
Hospitals:
Medical records shall be kept for a minimum of ten years after discharge of patients, except that original medical records may be destroyed sooner if they are preserved by a process consistent with current hospital industry standards. The hospital shall provide the Department of Public Health with a list of the process or processes it uses.the patient.
Connecticut Medical Facility Closure Guidelines
Upon the death or retirement of a practitioner, it shall be the responsibility of the practitioner or surviving responsible relative or executor to inform patients. This must be done by placing a notice in a daily local newspaper published in the community which is the prime locus of the practice. This notice shall be no less than two columns wide and no less than two inches in height. The notice shall appear twice, seven days apart. In addition, an individual letter is to be sent to each patient seen within the three years preceding the date of discontinuance of the practice. Medical records of all patients must be retained for at least sixty days following both the public and private notice to patients.
For more information, visit the Connecticut State Legislature Website.
Other Laws in Connecticut Related to Medical Record Retention
Medical records from long-term care facilities shall be filed in an accessible manner in the hospital and shall be kept for a minimum of twenty-five years after discharge of patients, except that original medical records may be destroyed sooner if they are microfilmed by a process approved by the state department of health.
Connecticut Medical Record Retention Statutes
If you would like to read the laws in Connecticut pertaining to medical record retention yourself, visit this link:
Preparing Medical Records for Custodianship in Connecticut
Our medical record custodianship experts provide customized quotes based on your specific needs and the number of patient records or charts you have.
We take patient privacy seriously. Our medical record storage and document scanning solutions are all HIPAA-compliant and we use servers specially encrypted for medical record storage. HIPAA was designed to ensure the confidential handling of health records. All medical records scanning must be done in a manner that is compliant with HIPAA and its privacy regulations.
Because your patient’s records are filled with personal health information (PHI), they must remain private and secure at all times. This is not just a moral obligation to your patients, it’s a legal obligation, and it’s important that you partner with a trusted medical records custodian who can ensure the security of your patients’ record throughout the entire custodianship process.
Medical Record Custodian Process:
- All physical patient files are securely shipped to our facility in Phoenix, Arizona.
- We scan your medical records and digitize if needed, and extract patient files from your EMR to house them ourselves.
- We create a custom records request landing page on our website for your patients.
- You give notice to your patients that we will be the custodian of your medical records, using a template we provide.
- You give notice to the Connecticut state medical board that Desert River Solutions is now your custodian of records.
- All health information requests go through us as your medical record custodian and you no longer have to do anything!
- Patients will be able to sign a request form, send it back securely, and receive any requested medical records in a prompt manner.
Learn More About Desert River Solutions Medical Records Custodian Services for Connecticut Medical Practices
When a healthcare facility or doctor’s office closes, hiring a custodian of medical records company to manage patient records makes it easier for doctors and staff to go on to their next adventure. In Connecticut, medical records must be retained for a minimum of 7 years. Desert River Solutions makes it easy for you to ensure your patients have access to their medical records for the legally required amount of time.
Contact us today to get a no-obligation quote on medical record custodian services for your Connecticut medical practice.
Legal Disclaimer: the information contained in this site is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter.
