Medical records have to be retained for a period of several years from the date of patient discharge. Minimum retention period differs from state to state:
Michigan - 6 years
Ohio - 7 years
Indiana - 5 years
Illinois - 5 years
Bluepoint will pick up, scan and deliver patient files in PDF format.
- archiving can start with a backlog of older files (several years worth of charts) and continue in a recurring fashion (monthly, yearly, etc) as files become ready for archiving
- besides legal compliance, digitized (scanned) charts serve as backup in the event of fire, flood or burglary
- quick computer access to alphabetically ordered chart files (images) is a great time saver when patient file review is necessary (find the patient's phone number or address, view previous treatment procedures or review patient's allergic reactions )
- tens of thousands of files can be stored on one flash drive or external hard disk
- scanning project can be performed in stages (ex. start with one third of the volume, get files on disk, continue with another third, etc)
- if files are urgently needed while project is ongoing, we will locate, scan and email the scanned file within 24 hrs or sooner
- original files can be returned or destroyed (once client approval is received)
- no need to install specialized software to view PDF files. Adobe's Acrobat Reader comes installed on every computer or can be downloaded at no cost from the Internet.
- have an EHR installed? Bluepoint will adapt the output format to match any software/imaging requirements