HIPAA Q&A: Record retention
HIPAA Weekly Advisor, November 15, 2010
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Q. How long must we retain the list of authorized and unauthorized disclosures pertaining to our nursing home residents? We assume that we must retain these lists while residents remain here, but how long must we retain this information after death or discharge?
A. The HIPAA Privacy Rule generally requires covered entities to retain documentation for six years to demonstrate their compliance with the rule. You may dispose of documentation after that time.
Editor’s note: Mary D. Brandt, vice president, health information management, at Scott &White Healthcare, Temple, TX, answered this question. She is a nationally recognized expert on patient privacy, information security, and regulatory compliance, and her publications provided some of the basis for HIPAA’s privacy regulations. Advice given is general. Readers should consult professional counsel for specific legal, ethical, or clinical questions.
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