This article explains the retention time for voice files and patient information in the EMDAT database.  This is to help keep our database healthy and eliminates any unnecessary information build-up.

1.     Audio / Dictation (voice) files:

         A.     Audio files are kept for 9 months.

         B.     At the end of the 9 months, audio files are deleted with NO back-up files created.

2.     Patient information files:

        A.     Patient information files are retained in the EMDAT data base for 30 days after their last scheduled appointment date.
 
For Example: A patient is scheduled to see a doctor on Feb. 1st and March 1st, if no other appointments are scheduled, the patient information would be deleted out of our database on March 31st ( 30 days after his last appointment date ). If an appointment were scheduled for April 1st at some point before March 31st, the 30 day count will start over from April 1st.

        B.  If a patient is put into the system with no appointment date at all, the patient is still retained for 30 days from the day it was input.