The second reason practices hold onto paper records is concern about the need to produce the chart for possible malpractice proceedings. This represents a misunderstanding about the legality of electronic media. Regardless of where the chart is stored – on paper or in cyberspace – it is acceptable in a court of law.
The length of time the data must be maintained varies from state to state, but is typically about 7 years for adults or 7 years after turning age 18 for minors. Fortunately, once all the charts are archived, they can be safely and securely maintained indefinitely without the ever-growing need for a bigger office to store them.
Dr. Skolnik and Dr. Notte write the column, “EHR Report,” which regularly appears in Family Practice News, an Elsevier publication. Dr. Skolnik is associate director of the family medicine residency program at Abington (Pa.) Memorial Hospital and professor of family and community medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia. Dr. Notte is in private practice in Chalfont, Pa. They are partners in EHR Practice Consultants (www.ehrpc.com), helping practices move to EHR systems. Contact them at info@ehrpc.com.