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Before a facility permanently stops performing
mammography, it should do the following:
- Inform its accreditation body that it will
no longer be performing mammography;
- Notify the NC Radiation Protection
Section;
- Arrange transfer of each patient’s medical
record (original mammography films and reports) to the
mammography facility where the patient will be receiving future
care, the patient’s referring physician or health care provider,
or the patient. This transfer will address the requirement
that the facility maintain the patient’s permanent medical
record for a period of not less than 5 years, or not less than
10 years if no additional mammograms are performed at the
facility.
The facility should make reasonable attempts to
inform its former patients of how they can obtain their mammography
records. Facilities that still see patients but have permanently
stopped performing mammography may choose to keep the patients’
medical records rather than transfer them to another facility
(unless the patient requests such a transfer).
If a facility is unable to arrange for the
transfer of each patient’s medical record, then that facility could
store the medical records in a hospital or make arrangements to
warehouse the records. The facility should assure that there is a
mechanism to release the films to the appropriate entity when
requested and that former patients are made aware of that mechanism.
If a facility is not able to find an
appropriate facility or person to accept the medical records, then
that facility is responsible for the medical records. The
Radiation Protection Section requests that each facility that is
closing or has closed, inform us of how they intend to fulfill their
obligations with respect to the patient’s medical records. Such
information should be sent to:
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