Retiring or closing your practice? NY Medical Records Custodian's four-step process offers peace of mind

September 21, 2023

88%

U.S. office-based physicians who use EHRs

Source: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, 2021

According to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, since 2008, the percent of U.S. office-based physicians that use an electronic health record (EHR) more than doubled.

As of 2021, 88 percent of American office-based physicians adopted an EHR; that’s up from 42 percent in 2008. And while going digital has certainly enhanced accessibility, boosted productivity and improved patient care, it has also raised concerns with data security and safeguarding patient health information (PHI) beyond retirement.

A custodian of records bears the responsibility of safeguarding records for the duration they are required to be protected, according to law. In the case of medical records, aside from maintaining the integrity of the files, a records custodian must protect the privacy of the individual according to HIPAA standards.

Like many professional records management and document storage companies, Shoreline Records Management can assist medical practices in preparing for retirement or closure by providing a range of services that help ensure a smooth transition and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. As a Medical Records Custodian, Shoreline offers a four-step process to securely maintain physical and electronic files in accordance with applicable guidelines.

Four Steps to Peace of Mind

Shoreline guarantees database security both while retaining records and at the time of destruction, per HIPAA protocols. Shoreline understands the responsibility of delivering medical records services safely, efficiently, and timely to all authorized parties and will ensure you can rest at ease in your retirement. Here’s what to expect:

STEP 1 - NOTIFY

Shoreline starts with the most important part of closing a medical practice - notifying patients. We help develop messaging to announce the closing of the practice so you can properly and timely inform patients, the applicable State Medical Board(s) and other key entities. This announcement will address how patients can obtain copies of their charts from Shoreline.

STEP 2 - COLLECT

Shoreline provides or assists with all the services for preparing Patient Charts for storage. This includes packing paper charts and transporting them to our storage facility, as well as working with the appropriate IT professionals to export any Patient Charts that are currently stored in electronic format.

STEP 3 - STORE

Safe storage requires that the confidentiality of Patient Charts be protected. Shoreline ensures records are securely and properly maintained for the necessary length of time. For over 20 years, Shoreline has maintained the confidentiality and protected the most sensitive health, financial and other records for companies both large and small.

STEP 4 - RELEASE

Requests for Patient Charts from Shoreline are released upon request from patients or an authorized representative. Following HIPAA release and payment, the records are sent electronically to the requestor through a secure portal that is password protected.

Ready to Transform Your Document Experience?

Shoreline Records Management can help you maintain, secure, release, and destroy your patient’s medical records. We provide the best possible continuing care for your patients in compliance with world-class standards so you can have peace of mind as you move to the next step of your life.

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