Hospital records retention.

(a) Unless specified otherwise by the department a hospital shall retain and preserve records that relate directly to the care and treatment of a patient for a period of seven years following the discharge of the patient. However, the records of a patient under 19 years of age shall be kept until at least two years after the patient has reached the age of 19 years or until seven years following the discharge of the patient, whichever is longer. Records consisting of X-ray film are required to be retained for five years.

(b) The department shall by regulation define the types of records and the information required to be included in the records retained and preserved under (a) of this section. The department may by regulation specify records and information to be retained for longer periods than those set out in (a) of this section.

(c) If a hospital ceases operation, it shall make immediate arrangements, as approved by the department, for the preservation of its records.

(d) This section is subject to AS 18.23.100 .

(e) In this section, “hospital” includes those facilities defined as hospitals under AS 18.20.130 and 18.20.210.