How long is a doctor required to keep medical records on a patient?

Get Legal Help Today

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

How long is a doctor required to keep medical records on a patient?

When can the records be destroyed?

 

Asked on January 18, 2011 under Malpractice Law, Pennsylvania

Answers:

M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 13 years ago | Contributor

State laws may require a health care provider keep a patient's medical records for a certain period of time. Under PA law, a doctor must keep a patient's medical record for at least 7 years after the last treatment date.  The exception is for the medical records of a minor, those records must be kept until 1 year after the minor reaches the age of majority or for 7 years, whichever is longer. Similarly, hospitals must keep medical records for at least 7 years after a patient is discharged from the hospital. Hospital records of minors must be kept until age of majority plus 7 years. In practice, many health care providers keep their medical records longer. And for as long as those records are kept, a patient has a right to see them.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption