How are Medical Records Stored?

Medical records hold  personal and health-related identifying information that medical offices and staff must protect. As the stakeholder who manages records, the method you choose for storing this sensitive data affects access, security, and potentially legal compliance.

How are medical records stored? While records can be stored digitally as electronic health records (EHRs) or physically as paper documents, files you use regularly are more accessible as an EHR. Whereas, long-term or inactive records are best stored offsite in physical files.

Both options are regulated by HIPAA guidelines to protect privacy. HIPAA also requires that regardless of the retention schedules, medical records must be made available if the individual or designated representative requests them.

To maintain privacy and security compliance, medical providers should develop policies and procedures to secure records with technological and physical safeguards while preserving accessibility. Watch the video or read the full blog below to learn more about how medical records are stored, the benefits of each, and how to stay compliant.

Electronic Health Records (EHR)

EHRs are digital records of a patient’s medical history. Using an EHR system has many benefits, including providing a bigger picture of the patient’s overall health, rather than just a snapshot of clinical data. EHRs typically include medical history, diagnoses, treatment plans, lab results, and more. This information contains personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI).

Medical Records Scanning Converts Paper Charts to EHRs

You can convert physical patient charts to EHRs with medical records scanning. Scanning creates a digital file of your patient’s record that you can edit, share, and store digitally. Here’s how it works:

1. Index and organize files that need to be scanned

2. Scan each page to convert it to a digital file

3. Run OCR to allow pages to be indexed and searchable

4. Add the files into your system

5. Add and set retention rules for documents (this purges or saves them per your rule)

Selecting the right EHR system is critical, as you will want a system that provides efficiency, usability, and high security.

Documents That Can Be Converted To EHRs

You can convert numerous medical records into EHRs, including:

• Patient charts
• Patient questionnaires/intake documents
• Diagnostic imaging (like x-rays)
• Lab tests and orders
• Insurance information
• Billing information

Physical Document Storage

You can maintain physical medical record storage off-site to free up office space while keeping records safe. Old records that you rarely access, backup tapes, external hard drives, and other media can be stored together to minimize costs and meet retention period requirements.

You can access files as needed, including emergency retrieval services, without the headache of managing the files yourself. Physical records provide a reliable way to back up digital information as long as they are protected.

Safeguards To Protect Physical Documents

When physical documents serve as your backup files, you need to protect them; choose secure storage facilities that offer fire, flood, and theft protection. Ask providers about these storage features:

• Fire suppression
• Flood protection 
• Access permissions (who can enter the facility, who can access records?)
• Off-site backup protection

Compliance and Training

The greatest challenge regarding medical record storage is compliance. Not only will you need to rigorously protect privacy, but you must also remain up-to-date and compliant with recordkeeping regulations. A disorganized or poorly managed record system can lead to huge issues, fines, and violations. See below for the two most common regulations that dictate medical record storage compliance.

Law or Regulation	Key Requirement
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)	HIPAA protects all forms of PHI, physical or electronic (ePHI). The HIPAA Privacy Rule and the HIPAA Security Rule require specific protections to be in place to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of health records. They also cover guidelines for employee training, analyzing risk, and information management.
Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH)	The HITECH Act was passed to expand the use of EHRs while also tightening rules to protect privacy. The concept of “meaningful use” promotes patient-centric utilization of EHRs that require how information is exchanged and protected. To achieve meaningful use, an eligible provider must meet all 15 core objectives of the program and at least 5 out of 10 of the menu objectives. A certified EHR system will help you meet and maintain HITECH compliance.

Make Records Available Upon Request

You must ensure that any medical record request from either the patient or another individual authorized by the patient is provided within 30 days of the request, per HIPAA. For this reason, you need EHRs or physical files that are properly indexed and searchable via the systems and platforms you use.

Find Secure Medical Record Storage Solutions with Record Nations

Record Nations provides secure medical record storage for EHRs and physical files. We can help you select the right storage options to maintain compliance and organization for your practice. Give us a call at (866) 385-3706 or fill out the form to receive free, no-obligation price quotes on storage solutions near you. 

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