How long should the master patient index (MPI) be retained?

The master patient index (MPI) should be retained permanently because it serves as a crucial resource for identifying and linking patients with their medical records across various health systems. The MPI maintains a comprehensive and longitudinal view of patient information, ensuring that all relevant data can be accessed for clinical care, billing, and research purposes.

Retaining the MPI permanently aligns with legal and regulatory requirements that mandate the retention of patients’ identifiers for their lifetime, especially for those who might return for future medical care. This approach supports continuity of care and enhances patient safety by minimizing the risk of duplicate records and misidentification. Additionally, since an MPI is integral to various processes within healthcare, including quality improvement initiatives and risk management, having a permanent record assists organizations in maintaining an accurate health information exchange over time.

In contrast, the other options suggest finite retention periods. While there may be policies or guidelines advising retention durations for specific types of patient data or records, the MPI's role necessitates a commitment to lifelong retention to accommodate ongoing healthcare access and management.