Gurgaon: Haryana govt has issued fresh guidelines on the preservation and management of hospital records. Under the new guidelines, outpatient department (OPD) records will have to be retained for five years, while inpatient department (IPD) records must be preserved for 10 years. Birth and death records have been classified as documents of permanent importance and cannot be destroyed.Haryana State Health Resource Centre (HSHRC) has directed all civil surgeons, principal medical officers and medical superintendents to establish proper medical record rooms and follow a uniform record retention policy across district hospitals. HSHRC has laid down a detailed process for the disposal of old records once the retention period expires.Medico-legal case (MLC) records, which frequently serve as evidence in criminal and civil proceedings, are to be retained for 15 years and indefinitely if a court case remains pending. Now, patients seeking old treatment records for insurance claims, court cases, compensation disputes or follow-up medical care may soon find it easier to access their documents.HSHRC executive director Dr Virender Yadav said on Tuesday, “The move is expected to bring greater uniformity in record management across govt hospitals and reduce instances of documents being misplaced, damaged or disposed of without following due procedure.” Health officials said the creation of dedicated medical record rooms and adoption of uniform retention norms would help hospitals better manage storage space while ensuring legally and medically important documents remain available whenever required.The directive comes amid concerns that medical records are often stored in hospitals far beyond the prescribed retention period, while hospital staff remain unaware of record retention norms. The order also mandates the preservation of records related to ultrasound, CT scans, echocardiography and other investigations covered under the PCPNDT Act in accordance with legal provisions. Records related to medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) are to be preserved as per the provisions of the MTP Act and retained until the conclusion of any legal proceedings.For patients, the policy could prove particularly useful in cases where medical records are required years after treatment. Hospital records are often sought for health insurance settlements, compensation claims arising out of road accidents, disability certification, pension-related documentation, medical negligence cases and long-term treatment of chronic illnesses. A standardised retention schedule is expected to improve the availability and traceability of such records.The guidelines also place emphasis on the preservation of medico-legal records through digitisation, microfilming and computerisation, a step that could strengthen evidence management in accident, assault and negligence cases.Before the destruction of records, hospitals must obtain approval from the competent authority and publish a notice in both local and national newspapers at least one month in advance. If no objections are received, records may be destroyed through shredding and disposed of through auction or tender processes. Facilities have also been directed to maintain a register of all records destroyed.
