WA SB5239

Hospitals must retain all medical records for a minimum of 26 years from the date the record was created, replacing the previous 10-year retention period following patient discharge

Records may be retained on paper, microfilm, electronically, or other media, and the requirement applies to both existing records still held by hospitals and records created after July 27, 2025

Records lawfully destroyed under the previous retention rules before the effective date are exempt from the new requirements

Hospitals that cease operations must make immediate arrangements approved by the department for preservation of their records

Each unique visit constitutes a separate medical record for retention purposes