NRS629.051. Health care records: Retention; disclosure to patients concerning destruction of records; exceptions; regulations.

      1.  Except as otherwise provided in this section and in regulations adopted by the State Board of Health pursuant to NRS 652.135 with regard to the records of a medical laboratory and unless a longer period is provided by federal law, each provider of health care shall retain the health care records of his or her patients as part of his or her regularly maintained records for 5 years after their receipt or production. Health care records may be retained in written form, or by microfilm or any other recognized form of size reduction, including, without limitation, microfiche, computer disc, magnetic tape and optical disc, which does not adversely affect their use for the purposes of NRS 629.061. Health care records may be created, authenticated and stored in a computer system which meets the requirements of NRS 439.581 to 439.595, inclusive, and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

      2.  A provider of health care shall post, in a conspicuous place in each location at which the provider of health care performs health care services, a sign which discloses to patients that their health care records may be destroyed after the period set forth in subsection 1.

      3.  When a provider of health care performs health care services for a patient for the first time, the provider of health care shall deliver to the patient a written statement which discloses to the patient that the health care records of the patient may be destroyed after the period set forth in subsection 1.

      4.  If a provider of health care fails to deliver the written statement to the patient pursuant to subsection 3, the provider of health care shall deliver to the patient the written statement described in subsection 3 when the provider of health care next performs health care services for the patient.

      5.  In addition to delivering a written statement pursuant to subsection 3 or 4, a provider of health care may deliver such a written statement to a patient at any other time.

      6.  A written statement delivered to a patient pursuant to this section may be included with other written information delivered to the patient by a provider of health care.

      7.  A provider of health care shall not destroy the health care records of a person who is less than 23 years of age on the date of the proposed destruction of the records. The health care records of a person who has attained the age of 23 years may be destroyed in accordance with this section for those records which have been retained for at least 5 years or for any longer period provided by federal law.

      8.  The provisions of this section do not apply to a pharmacist.

      9.  The State Board of Health shall adopt:

      (a) Regulations prescribing the form, size, contents and placement of the signs and written statements required pursuant to this section; and

      (b) Any other regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.

      (Added to NRS by 1977, 1313; A 1993, 916; 1997, 1123; 2009, 2549; 2011, 1762)