Patient Records

Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialists/ Professional Hearing Services maintain a patient record for a minimum of ten years following the last patient encounter with the following exceptions:

• Records of a minor child, shall be maintained until the child reaches the age of 18, or becomes emancipated, with a minimum time for record retention of six years from the last patient encounter regardless of the age of the child.

Patient records shall only be destroyed in a manner that protects patient confidentiality, such as by incineration or shredding.

Patient Files, Medical Records, and Charts - Special Notice

Following Virginia State law guidelines, our practice does not keep inactive medical charts beyond six (6) years from the last visit.