Bill > SB5239

This bill amends the existing Washington state law regarding hospital medical record retention by extending the required retention period from the previous time frames to a uniform 26-year minimum retention period for all medical records, regardless of patient age. Under the new law, hospitals can store these records in various formats including paper, microfilm, or electronic media. The bill clarifies that all information collected during a unique patient visit is considered part of the medical record, and it explicitly states that the new 26-year requirement applies both to medical records created before and after the bill's effective date. Additionally, the bill maintains existing provisions that require hospitals to make arrangements for record preservation if they cease operations and allows the department of health to regulate the specific types of records and information that must be retained. The legislation does not exempt hospitals from other existing record retention requirements and provides a safeguard for hospitals that previously complied with record retention rules before this new law's implementation.