Retention of the health data file
How long a (medical) file must be retained is stated in the Medical Treatment Contracts Act (WGBO). The main rule is that the healthcare provider (such as a general medical practice or a hospital) must retain your file for 20 years. This is calculated from the time the file was last changed.
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Sometimes, your file can be retained for longer than 20 years. This is the case if:
- another statutory retention period applies;
- such is required for good care;
- the data is important to someone else, such as genetic data that may be important to family members.
A shorter retention period is also possible. For example, in the case of social support files (15 years).
Other statutory retention period
University hospitals must retain certain documents for 115 years after the patient’s date of birth. Examples are operation reports and discharge letters. This is because the Public Records Act applies to this data.
Required for good care
Your care provider can retain your file for longer than 20 years if this is necessary to continue to provide you with good care. For example, if you have a chronic condition.
In that case, the care provider is authorised to retain all data about the long-term or recurring treatment. This ensures your medical history remains complete. You can also explicitly ask your care provider to retain (parts of) your file for longer than 20 years.
Relevant to others
Sometimes, your file can be retained for longer than 20 years because the health data contained therein is also (or may be) relevant to others. To your children, for example, if you have a hereditary disease.