NAC449.9885. Medical records: Maintenance.

     1. An employee shall oversee the completion, filing and retention of each medical record.

     2. Records must be maintained for each patient admitted for care in the center in accordance with accepted professional principles.

     3. Only authorized personnel may have access to medical records. Information contained in a medical record must not be released without the written consent of the patient or his or her guardian except:

     (a) As required by law;

     (b) Under a contract involving a third-party payor; or

     (c) As otherwise provided by the agreement on admission.

     4. A medical record may be microfilmed if the record can be legibly reproduced.

     5. A licensee who ceases operations shall notify the Division of the arrangements made for access to and the safe preservation of medical records.

     6. Medical records must not be removed from the center except upon the issuance of an order by a court of competent jurisdiction.

     7. The records of each patient discharged from the center must be completed within 30 days after the date of his or her discharge.

     8. An index of medical records must be maintained. The medical records of each patient must be indexed, within 6 months after discharge, according to the surgery performed and the physician attending the patient.

     9. Each record must be protected against loss, destruction or unauthorized use.

     (Added to NAC by Bd. of Health, eff. 12-15-88; A by R049-99, 9-27-99)