Bert,
I have wondered the same thing. I know there are docs here in my community that simply hand the chart over to the patient who then, if they transfer to me, hand the record over to me. I would be concerned if I were to be sued a year down the road for something and not even have the chart in my possession to use to defend myself! I suspect each state law is potentially different but I would venture to say we are responsible for the chart for the full 7 years (here in Indiana). This is one of my main motivations for going paperless. I figure it will be a lot easier to put the server in my house or wherever than the 4000 or so charts I now have. But then, one would have to maintain an accessible data base as technology changes over the years. Can you imagine having all your info on a beta VCR tape or an 8 track? So, that means one would have to be able to do continuous data conversions. These are questions to which we really need answers. When paper was king, this was never a problem.
Leslie
