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Reporting And Data

Destruction of Medical Records

Latest Update: August 21, 2020
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Information

A provider of health care shall provide a written statement and post, in a conspicuous place in each location at which the provider of health care performs health care services, a sign which discloses to patients that their health care records may be destroyed after 5 years unless the patient is less than 23 years of age.

Responsible Party

Who Must Report?

Method

How Do I Report?

A statement required by NRS 629.053 must be titled “Notice to Patients Regarding the Destruction of Health Care Records.”

 NAC 629.060  Disclosure concerning destruction of records: Form and placement of sign to be posted by providers of health care. 

     1.  Each sign required by subsection 2 of NRS 629.051 to be posted by providers of health care must:

     (a) Be not less than 8 1/2 inches in height and 11 inches in width, with margins not greater than 1 inch on any side;

     (b) Pursuant to subsection 2 of NRS 629.051, be posted in a conspicuous place in each location at which the provider of health care performs health care services and at each facility that maintains the health care records of patients;

     (c) Disclose to a patient that the health care records of the patient may be destroyed in accordance with NRS 629.051;

     (d) Be written using a single typeface in not less than 20-point type; and

     (e) Be titled “Notice to Patients Regarding the Destruction of Health Care Records.”

     2.  If two or more providers of health care share:

     (a) A location at which the providers perform health care; or

     (b) A facility that maintains the health care records of patients,

the providers may post one sign at the location or facility which complies with the requirements of this section and NRS 629.051.

     (Added to NAC by Bd. of Health by R101-10, eff. 1-13-2011)

NAC 629.070  Disclosure concerning destruction of records: Requirements for written statement by provider of health care to first-time patients. (NRS 629.051)  Each written statement required by subsection 3 of NRS 629.051 must:

     1.  Disclose to the patient that the health care records of the patient may be destroyed in accordance with NRS 629.051; and

     2.  Be titled “Notice to Patients Regarding the Destruction of Health Care Records.”

     (Added to NAC by Bd. of Health by R101-10, eff. 1-13-2011)

Authority

The legal mandate requiring reporting

NRS629.051: Retention of records; disclosure to patients concerning destruction of records; exceptions; regulations.

1.  Except as otherwise provided in this section and in regulations adopted by the State Board of Health pursuant to NRS 652.135 with regard to the records of a medical laboratory and unless a longer period is provided by federal law, each custodian of health care records shall retain the health care records of patients as part of the regularly maintained records of the custodian for 5 years after their receipt or production. Health care records may be retained in written form, or by microfilm or any other recognized form of size reduction, including, without limitation, microfiche, computer disc, magnetic tape and optical disc, which does not adversely affect their use for the purposes of NRS 629.061. Health care records may be created, authenticated and stored in a computer system which meets the requirements of NRS 439.581 to 439.595, inclusive, and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

2.  A provider of health care shall post, in a conspicuous place in each location at which the provider of health care performs health care services, a sign which discloses to patients that their health care records may be destroyed after the period set forth in subsection 1.

3.  When a provider of health care performs health care services for a patient for the first time, the provider of health care shall deliver to the patient a written statement which discloses to the patient that the health care records of the patient may be destroyed after the period set forth in subsection 1.

      4.  If a provider of health care fails to deliver the written statement to the patient pursuant to subsection 3, the provider of health care shall deliver to the patient the written statement described in subsection 3 when the provider of health care next performs health care services for the patient.

      5.  In addition to delivering a written statement pursuant to subsection 3 or 4, a provider of health care may deliver such a written statement to a patient at any other time.

      6.  A written statement delivered to a patient pursuant to this section may be included with other written information delivered to the patient by a provider of health care.

      7.  A custodian of health care records shall not destroy the health care records of a person who is less than 23 years of age on the date of the proposed destruction of the records. The health care records of a person who has attained the age of 23 years may be destroyed in accordance with this section for those records which have been retained for at least 5 years or for any longer period provided by federal law.

      8.  The provisions of this section do not apply to a pharmacist.

      9.  The State Board of Health shall adopt:

      (a) Regulations prescribing the form, size, contents and placement of the signs and written statements required pursuant to this section; and

      (b) Any other regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.

      (Added to NRS by 1977, 1313; A 1993, 9161997, 11232009, 25492011, 17622017, 2757)

Notes

Any other pertinent information

Provider of health care shall deliver to the patient a written statement when providing services for the first time.

 

DISCLAIMER
Although many of these requirements apply to individual medical professionals and other types of hospitals and health care facilities, the information is presented solely to support Critical Access Hospitals. The reporting requirements and legal mandates on this site are not an exhaustive list and Nevada Rural Hospital Partners, Inc. bears no responsibility or liability for any hospitals' or providers' failure to comply with Federal or State laws or regulations.