How long should the master patient index be retained?

The master patient index (MPI) is a critical component in health information management, serving as the foundational tool for identifying and maintaining a comprehensive record of all patients who have received care within a healthcare organization. Retaining the MPI permanently is necessary due to its ongoing relevance in tracking patient histories, facilitating data linkage for research purposes, and ensuring continuity of care across various services and timeframes.

Permanently maintaining the MPI allows healthcare organizations to reference historical patient data, which can be critical for long-term care planning and improving care quality. Moreover, as healthcare services continue to evolve and integrate, having a permanent record helps in studies related to patient demographics, treatment outcomes, and public health statistics. This retention aligns with overarching legal and ethical obligations to preserve accurate patient information for future reference or legal purposes.

While there may be facility-specific policies regarding record retention and accreditation bodies may provide guidelines about data management, the fundamental rationale for keeping the MPI permanently stems from its essential role in patient safety, continuity, and comprehensive health information management.