Medical Practice Closure Storage


Healthcare Providers must be concerned with the protection and storage of health information when closing a medical practice.

Medical Records may be archived with a reputable commercial storage firm such as TIME RECORD STORAGE. Before records are transferred to storage, patients should be notified. Patients may be notified of the opportunity to obtain copies by publishing a series of notices in the local newspaper or direct mail notice.

TIME RECORD STORAGE understands the requirements for privacy, maintaining the confidentiality of their health information, protect the integrity of the information, and assure its availability of the information for continuing care.

Liability Issues
Since a healthcare provider remains liable for accidental or incidental disclosure of health information during or after the closure of a practice choosing the right record storage company is important. TIME RECORD STORAGE is HIPAA compliant and will protect the integrity and confidentiality of the information we store while assuring access for continued patient care.

To minimize storage costs, TIME RECORD STORAGE will assist with the shredding of records that are past the period of required retention. We suggest that you also contact your malpractice insurance carrier to receive written advise of retention periods so coverage will not be compromised. Your malpractice insurance carrier may need access to patient records after the closure of a practice.

Physicians closing their practices may wish to contact the American Medical Association and their state licensure board for guidance for retention periods.

Medicare Requirements
Medicare requires records be kept in their original or legally reproduced form for at least five years from the date of the settlement of the claim to comply with the Medicare Conditions of Participation.

Legal advise is also recommended to determine the appropriate retention periods and assure compliance with state laws and regulatory agencies

New York
Retirement/death of physician and/or sale of practice:

  1. When physician retires, sells his/her practice, or dies, patients should be notified (usually by newspaper advertisement)-but NYS law does not mandate patient notification at this time.
  2. Patients may request copies sent to another physician for continued care-reasonable charges may apply. [Not recommended that original record be forwarded for legal reasons.]
  3. Retired/deceased physician: arrangements should be made to have original records retained by another physician, local hospital, or other lawfully permitted agency.
  4. If practice is sold: ownership of records should be part of sales agreement. Physician purchasing must establish physician/patient relationship prior to accessing records or must obtain patient authorization.
  5. Area hospital/appropriate medical society should know disposition of the physician records.

New Jersey
Before closing, the hospital's governing authority must submit a plan for record storage and service to the Department of Health.

When TIME RECORD STORGE is appointed legal custodian for the storage and transfer of records for a newly closing medical practice, we offer:

  1. Free initial consultation
  2. Free patient mail notification
  3. Packing services
  4. Indexing of your records
  5. Free refiling of late incoming letters, reports, etc.
  6. Free barcode labels
  7. Monthly or lump sum payment options


Please call us at (800) 989-8463 or Request a Quote

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