Karen's Key Tips and Practice Tricks
If you have any feedback, ideas for tips or need assistance contact Karen at Karen.Bolch@wellsouth.org.nz.
Retention of patient records and confidentiality
Patient health information is highly confidential and must always be handled with care, even after a patient has left the medical centre or is deceased.
Storage and security
-
Electronic Records: Must be stored in a password-protected system with secure backups to prevent data loss.
-
Hard Copy Records: Should be securely stored, away from public areas, and easily accessible when required.
Retention period
-
Patient records must be retained for a minimum of 10 years and one day from the date of the last patient encounter.
-
Enrolment forms must be kept for 10 years from the last date a payment was claimed.
-
A legible electronic copy of the signed form meets this requirement.
-
Enrolment and dis-enrolment records should be readily retrievable for audits and may be stored with medical records or in separate files.
-
Retaining records beyond the minimum period is recommended for patients with complex or long-term conditions, including paediatrics, psychiatry, obstetrics, gynaecology, and orthopaedics.
Destruction of records
-
Patient records must be destroyed in a secure and confidential manner, such as shredding or burning.
-
A professional document destruction service may also be used.
Access and transfer of records
-
Patients (or their representatives) are entitled to copies of their records at no charge, unless a request has already been made within the past year. Exceptions apply to video recordings, x-rays, and CAT scans.
-
Patient records must not be withheld due to outstanding payments or commercial disputes.
Printable pdf here.
Links to further information:
Health (Retention of Health Information) Regulations 1996
Medical Council of New Zealand: Current Standards