Medical Records Retention

The 2021 Legislature UPDATED the  guidelines for record retention:

There is currently no federal law mandating a period of time for record retention. If one is subsequently passed, and if the period is greater than the five years set by this law, the period will be extended to comply with federal law.

 NRS 629.053 provides guidance concerning destruction of records:

      (a) Pursuant to the provisions of subsection 7 of NRS 629.051:

             (1) The health care records of a person who is less than 23 years of age may not be destroyed; and

             (2) The health care records of a person who has attained the age of 23 years may be destroyed for those records which have been retained for at least 5 years or for any longer period provided by federal law; and

      (b) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 7 of NRS 629.051 and unless a longer period is provided by federal law, the health care records of a patient who is 23 years of age or older may be destroyed after 5 years pursuant to subsection 1 of NRS 629.051.

      The State Board of Health shall adopt regulations prescribing the contents of the statements required pursuant to this section.

      (Added to NRS by 2009, 2549; A 2015, 22922021, 1594)