Introduced By: Deborah White, MD

The Reference Committee recommends this be adopted as new ArMA Policy.

Does the resolution address a current need? Yes. Growing trends in hospital administrative policies have led to the systematic purging of electronic and physical patient records once the minimum legal retention period is met. This creates a critical "data gap" for patients with long-term healthcare needs.

Is it directly applicable to the healthcare community? Yes. Longitudinal care for oncology, cardiology, and complex surgical patients depends on the availability of historical clinical data (e.g., chemotherapy regimens, pathology, and surgical notes) that may be required decades after the initial treatment.

Does it reflect emerging healthcare trends? Yes. As the industry moves toward precision medicine and survivorship care, the loss of historical data hinders personalized treatment. Furthermore, the lack of transparency regarding these "stealth" deletions prevents patients from taking ownership of their medical history.

Is it within ArMA’s or the AMA’s scope to accomplish? Yes. ArMA is the primary advocate for the physician-patient relationship and the ethical standards of medical practice in Arizona.

WHEREAS, Arizona law and federal HIPAA regulations establish minimum retention periods that frequently fail to align with the lifetime clinical needs of patients, particularly those managing cancer recurrence or chronic conditions; and

WHEREAS, Many healthcare systems have adopted aggressive record-deletion policies for both electronic and physical charts without proactive notification to the patients or the physicians involved in their care; and

WHEREAS, The loss of historical clinical data—including specific medication dosages, diagnostic staging, and surgical findings—compromises the ability of physicians to provide evidence-based care during subsequent medical crises; and

WHEREAS, The premature destruction of medical records creates significant "data gaps" in retrospective cohort studies and longitudinal research, particularly in identifying the late-term effects of pharmaceuticals, surgical implants, and radiation therapies; and

WHEREAS, The advancement of medical science and the improvement of patient safety protocols rely on the availability of historical clinical data to conduct "look-back" studies and to validate long-term outcomes of emerging treatments; and

WHEREAS, Modern technological advancements in "cold storage" data management have significantly reduced the cost of maintaining long-term digital archives, making the permanent deletion of clinical data an unnecessary administrative shortcut; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That ArMA advocate for state-level policies requiring hospitals and health systems to provide clear, proactive disclosure of their record retention and destruction schedules to patients at the time of service; and be it further

RESOLVED, That ArMA support legislation or regulatory changes that require healthcare entities to make a good-faith effort to notify patients (or their designated representatives) prior to the permanent destruction of their medical records, offering the patient an opportunity to obtain a digital or physical copy; and be it further

RESOLVED, That ArMA advocate for the protection of clinical data archives, encouraging health systems to utilize long-term digital storage solutions as a standard of care to preserve vital information for future medical research and public health surveillance; and be it further

RESOLVED, That ArMA collaborate with the American Medical Association (AMA) to study the clinical and scientific impact of current record retention laws and develop "Best Practice" guidelines that prioritize patient care continuity and research integrity over administrative data management.

FISCAL IMPACT: Minimal. This falls within the scope of existing legislative and advocacy activities.