If you’re getting ready to close your New Jersey 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 New Jersey 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 New Jersey 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.
New Jersey Medical Records Retention Laws
New Jersey Laws for Minors’ Medical Record Retention
Providers:
A doctor has to keep a patient’s medical records for seven years.
Hospitals:
The medical records provided for herein or photographic reproductions thereof shall be retained for a period of 10 years following the most recent discharge of the patient, or until the person confined therein reaches the age of 23 years, whichever is the longer period of time.
New Jersey Laws for Adults’ Medical Record Retention
Providers:
A doctor has to keep a patient’s medical records for seven years.
Hospitals:
The medical records provided for herein or photographic reproductions thereof shall be retained for a period of 10 years following the most recent discharge of the patient.
New Jersey Medical Facility Closure Guidelines
At least 30 days prior to voluntary surrender of its license where approved by Certificate of Need, or as directed under an order of revocation, refusal to renew, or suspension of license, a facility must directly notify each patient and the patient’s physician concerned of the intended closure.
For more information, visit the New Jersey State Legislature Website.
Other Laws in New Jersey Related to Medical Record Retention
A discharge summary sheet shall be retained for a period of 20 years following the most recent discharge of the patient. The discharge summary sheet shall contain the patient’s name, address, dates of admission and discharge and a summary of the treatment and medication rendered during the patient’s stay. Any X-ray films related to such confinement, or any size reproductions thereof which maintain the clarity of the original shall be retained by such custodian of records for a period of 5 years.
New Jersey Medical Record Retention Statutes
If you would like to read the laws in New Jersey pertaining to medical record retention yourself, visit this link:
Preparing Medical Records for Custodianship in New Jersey
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 New Jersey 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 New Jersey 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 New Jersey, 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 New Jersey 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.
