The best advice is in the RCPath document:
http://www.rcpath.org/activities/publications/retention.pdf
The report sent to the clinician is part of the patient record. (Unlike
nearly all other laboratory data.)
Jonathan
On Wednesday, August 21, 2002, at 04:52 , Graham, Billy wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Does anyone have information on how long wards must legally keep
> hard-copy
> laboratory reports, if at all, assuming they will always be available
> electronically via the lab computer (both active and historical
> records).
> This query came to me from the nursing staff. Currently the ward in
> question
> receives lab reports and the nurses filter out any showing 'abnormal'
> results. The medical staff then look up these patient records in the lab
> computer and take appropriate action. Following this, all the hard-copy
> reports are filed away alphabetically in boxes dating back 7 years - the
> reports are NOT stored with the patient record. These hard-copy
> archives are
> taking up a lot of room and much staff time in operation of the filing
> system.
>
> I think if the retention of the hard copies is not a legal requirement
> the
> ward would like to file them in the drawer labelled 'bin' rather than
> waste
> time and space filing them as they currently do.
>
> Any advice would be much welcomed.
>
> Best regards, Billy Graham.
>
>
>
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