Guidelines for Federal Institutions
The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) plays a significant role in the storage and management of clinical and medical treatment records for military personnel, retirees, dependents, and non-military individuals who received treatment at Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs).
For military personnel on active duty, the NPRC maintains the clinical records created during their service. These records encompass both inpatient and outpatient treatments. For retired military personnel and others who received treatment at MTFs, their records are also stored at the NPRC.
The NPRC stores not only hospital inpatient clinical records but also inpatient and outpatient medical treatment records from MTFs. To retire MTF records, MTF Personnel Action Detail Point of Contact (PAD POC) personnel require access to the ARCIS/MRS MTF Customer Web Portal.
In a recent development, federal agencies, including the NPRC, are required to transfer their permanent records in an electronic format to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) by June 30, 2024. This shift away from analog record transfers marks a significant step towards electronic records management.
However, agencies that cannot meet this deadline can apply for exceptions through a formal request process to NARA. Agencies granted exceptions may temporarily maintain analog records outside the standard electronic transfer requirement but are expected to transition eventually.
This approach reflects a government-wide push for transitioning to electronic records management and reducing the reliance on analog record transfers to NARA, as outlined in OMB M-23-07 and reported by NARA.
In the case of MTF records, MTF PAD POC personnel are responsible for retiring these records to the NPRC. From 2002 onward, MTF medical records retired to the NPRC are electronically indexed in the NPRC Medical Registry System (MRS). The MRS, in turn, stores these electronically indexed MTF medical records.
This transition to electronic records management not only streamlines the process of record keeping but also ensures the preservation and accessibility of these vital records for future generations.
- As the medical-conditions records of military personnel and non-military individuals who received treatment at Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) are stored at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), it is crucial for the science and health-and-wellness industry to ensure their proper management and preservation for research and accurate medical histories.
- The finance department of the health-and-wellness industry might find it worthwhile to keep track of the industry's transition from analog to electronic records management in military records, considering its potential impact on the management and storage costs of medical records, as exemplified by the shift of federal agencies' permanent records to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).
