Going Paperless

The second reason practices hold on to paper records is concern about the need to produce the chart for possible malpractice proceedings. This represents a misunderstanding about the legality of electronic media. Regardless of where the chart is stored—on paper or in cyberspace—it is acceptable in a court of law. The length of time the data must be maintained varies from state to state, but is typically about 7 years for adults or 7 years after turning age 18 for minors. Fortunately, once all the charts are archived, they can be safely and securely maintained indefinitely without the ever-growing need for a bigger office to store them.