When the Titanic sank, the safety of women and children came first. But when the Lusitania went down three years later, it was a case of survival of the fittest. A painstaking analysis of passenger data from the two vessels revealed that captain's orders to allow women and children off first were adhered to when the Titanic hit an iceberg on her maiden voyage on April 14, 1912.
(e) HIV-positive confidential test results including serology and medical records must be maintained for 7 years after the patient's death, if known, or 18 years from the last date of service.
No matter what storage choice is made, consider future access to the data. How long medical records must be retained after closure of a practice depends on state law. Massachusetts requires a retiring physician to retain medical records for a minimum of seven years, or until a child patient reaches the age of nine.