WV Hospital Licensure Rule

I recently became aware that the West Virginia Hospital Licensure Rule, CSR 64-12-1, was amended this past legislative session and became effective on May 1, 2006. I haven't had a chance to perform a paragraph by paragraph review of the changes but did notice that the regulations regarding retention of medical records appear to have changed under CSR 64-12-7.2.f. Under the past rule there was no direction given to hospitals on the duration for the retention of medical records.

The new provision states, "[t]he hospital shall preserve medical records, including records of patients treated in the emergency room or outpatient departments, for a minimum of five (5) years in their original form or in a legally reproduced form."