Facility Closures/Image Location

What To Do In the Event of Facility Closure

Before a facility permanently stops performing mammography, it should do the following:

1. Inform its accreditation body that it will no longer be performing mammography;
2. Notify the NC Radiation Protection Section;
3. 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:

(Please include FDA # on all correspondence)

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