Michigan Medical Record Retention Laws & Finding a Medical Records Custodian in Michigan

If you’re getting ready to close your Michigan 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 Michigan 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 Michigan 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.

Michigan Medical Records Retention Laws

Michigan Laws for Minors’ Medical Record Retention

Providers & Hospitals:

A licensee shall keep and retain each record for a minimum of 7 years from the date of service to which the record pertains.

Michigan Laws for Adults’ Medical Record Retention

Providers and Hospitals:

A licensee shall keep and retain each record for a minimum of 7 years from the date of service to which the record pertains.

Michigan Medical Facility Closure Guidelines

If a licensee or registrant sells or closes his or her practice, retires from practice, or otherwise ceases to practice under this article, the licensee or the personal representative of the licensee, if the licensee is deceased, shall not abandon the records required under this section and shall send a written notice to the department that specifies who will have custody of the medical records and how a patient may request access to or copies of his or her medical records and shall do either of the following:

(a) Transfer the records required under subsection (1) to any of the following:

(i) A successor licensee.

(ii) If requested by the patient or his or her authorized representative, to the patient or a specific health facility or agency or other health care provider licensed under article 15.  1

(iii) A health care provider, a health facility or agency, or a medical records company with which the licensee had contracted or entered into an agreement to protect, maintain, and provide access to those records required under subsection (1).

(b) In accordance with subsection (1), as long as the licensee or the personal representative of the licensee, if the licensee is deceased, sends a written notice to the last known address of each patient for whom he or she has provided medical services and receives written authorization from the patient or his or her authorized representative, destroy the records required under subsection (1).  The notice shall provide the patient with 30 days to request a copy of his or her record or to designate where he or she would like his or her medical records transferred and shall request from the patient within 30 days written authorization for the destruction of his or her medical records.  If the patient fails to request a copy or transfer of his or her medical records or to provide the licensee with written authorization for the destruction, then the licensee or the personal representative of the licensee shall not destroy those records that are less than 7 years old but may destroy, in accordance with subsection (4), those that are 7 years old or older.

For more information, visit the Michigan Compiled Laws.

Michigan Medical Record Retention Statutes

If you would like to read the laws in Michigan pertaining to medical record retention yourself, visit this link:

Preparing Medical Records for Custodianship in Michigan

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:

  1. All physical patient files are securely shipped to our facility in Phoenix, Arizona.
  2. We scan your medical records and digitize if needed, and extract patient files from your EMR to house them ourselves.
  3. We create a custom records request landing page on our website for your patients.
  4. You give notice to your patients that we will be the custodian of your medical records, using a template we provide.
  5. You give notice to the Michigan state medical board that Desert River Solutions is now your custodian of records.
  6. All health information requests go through us as your medical record custodian and you no longer have to do anything!
  7. 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 Michigan 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 Michigan, 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 Michigan 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.

Learn More About 
DRS Medical Record Custodian Services

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. 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 medical practice.