Wisconsin Nursing Home Administrators (NHA) Practice Exam

If the ownership of a facility changes, what happens with the medical records?

1. The medical records are transferred to the new owner

2. The medical records are destroyed

3. The medical records remain with the facility

4. The medical records are sent to a central archive

The correct answer is: The medical records are transferred to the new owner

When the ownership of a facility changes, the new owner is responsible for maintaining and managing the medical records. It is important for the records to be transferred to the new owner in order to ensure continuity of care for patients. Option B, destroying the records, would not be a responsible or ethical action as it would result in the loss of important medical information. Option C, leaving the records with the facility, would not be practical as the previous owner may no longer have access to them and the new owner would likely have their own systems in place. Option D, sending the records to a central archive, may be a temporary solution but ultimately the records should be transferred to the new owner for ongoing management.