Now that I have cleaned my sputtered coffee off my computer screen, I can more quietly and calmly address the Q of how long to retain medical records after a health practitioner (like an IBCLC) is retired from active practice. How long to safely keep records is not designed to suit the practitioner's convenience, but to preserve the rights of patients/clients to sue for redress of injuries even years down the road (!). Since we work with minors, some states require records be kept until that child grows to 21 (or more) years of age. As a private practitioner, an IBCLC should have a policy & procedure manual for all elements of running the business, including a section that indicates how all active, and retired, client files are kept. This demonstrates that your are meeting security and privacy requirements (like HIPAA), and have a policy that defines when and how files are destroyed. Imagine you get sued 10 years from now by the kid whose mother you helped. The first thing they will subpoena are your records on your care for that client. How will the court/attorneys react if you come back and say "Well, I shredded them when I was cleaning out my basement." And you cannot ALSO point to a policy for your business that to support that the shredding was a part of your regular business practices, and NOT in response to being sued? In the USA, the rules for "how long" are determined by each state. Elsewhere in the world, national health ministers usually have issued an easily accessible rule/law for "retention of medical records." See where you land on the attached chart (link below). Yes, Yes, I see that it indicates these are records rules for "MDs." BUT. When there are no laws explicit to IBCLC practice (and there are precious few of those) it is always appropriate to go "more conservatively" in legal expectations. Patterning your practices after the same requirements expected of an MD or midwife will be a good guide. https://www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/appa7-1.pdf -- Liz Brooks, JD, IBCLC, FILCA Wyndmoor, PA, USA Private practice IBCLC, speaker, author, educator, lactation advocate LizBrooksIBCLC.com @LizBrooksIBCLC *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] COMMANDS: 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome