wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 1394 > Original Bill
A hospital shall retain and preserve all medical records for a minimum period of 26 years from the date the record was created. A hospital may retain medical records on paper, microfilm, electronically, or on other media.
This subsection applies to:
Medical records created prior to the effective date of this section and retained or preserved by the hospital on the effective date of this section; and
Medical records created on or after the effective date of this section.
This subsection does not apply to medical records no longer retained and preserved by the hospital on the effective date of this section if the hospital complied with this section as it existed prior to the effective date of this section when it destroyed or otherwise disposed of the records.
This subsection does not exempt hospitals from compliance with any other record retention requirements.
If a hospital ceases operations, it shall make immediate arrangements, as approved by the department, for preservation of its records.
The department shall by regulation define the type of records and the information required to be included in the medical records to be retained and preserved under this section; which records may be retained in photographic form pursuant to chapter 5.46 RCW.