(a)  Providers of health services, licensed pursuant to Sections 1205, 1253, 1575, and 1726, that utilize electronic recordkeeping systems only, shall comply with the additional requirements of this section. These additional requirements do not apply to patient records if hard copy versions of the patient records are retained.

(b)  Any use of electronic recordkeeping to store patient records shall ensure the safety and integrity of those records at least to the extent of hard copy records. All providers set forth in subdivision (a) shall ensure the safety and integrity of all electronic media used to store patient records by employing an offsite backup storage system, an image mechanism that is able to copy signature documents, and a mechanism to ensure that once a record is input, it is unalterable.

(c)  Original hard copies of patient records may be destroyed once the record has been electronically stored.

(d)  The printout of the computerized version shall be considered the original as defined in Section 255 of the Evidence Code for purposes of providing copies to patients, the Division of Licensing and Certification, and for introduction into evidence in accordance with Sections 1550 and 1551 of the Evidence Code, in administrative or court proceedings.

(e)  Access to electronically stored patient records shall be made available to the Division of Licensing and Certification staff promptly, upon request.

(f)  This section does not exempt licensed clinics, health facilities, adult day health care centers, and home health agencies from the requirement of maintaining original copies of patient records that cannot be electronically stored.

(g)  Any health care provider subject to this section, choosing to utilize an electronic recordkeeping system, shall develop and implement policies and procedures to include safeguards for confidentiality and unauthorized access to electronically stored patient health records, authentication by electronic signature keys, and systems maintenance.

(h)  Nothing contained in this chapter shall affect the existing regulatory requirements for the access, use, disclosure, confidentiality, retention of record contents, and maintenance of health information in patient records by health care providers.

(i)  This chapter does not prohibit any provider of health care services from maintaining or retaining patient records electronically.

(Added by Stats. 1995, Ch. 415, Sec. 8. Effective January 1, 1996.)