Doc. Control No.

:
DCN:LAB_GDN-
Metro South Medical Center 05242018-1
Revision Level
MEDIUM

Date Effective: _________________________ Page 1

of 3
Doc. Control No.:

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 DCN:LAB_GDN-
05242018-1
Metro South Medical Center Revision Level
MEDIUM

TITLE RETENTION OF LABORATORY RECORDS AND DIAGNOSTIC MATERIAL

THE RETENTION OF LABORATORY RECORDS AND DIAGNOSTIC MATERIAL AIMS TO ENSURE THERE IS PHYSICAL AUDIT
TRAIL IN CASE OF INTEGRITY OR IDENTIFICATION OF THE SPECIMEN NEEDS TO BE ESTABLISHED AND TO MAINTAIN A
SCOPE NUMBER OF RECORDS WHICH SUBSTANTIATE THE VALIDITY OF TESTING DONE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF RESULTS FOR
PATIENT RECORDS.

I. General Laboratory Records:

1.1 Analytical Incident Reports 2 years

1.2 Result Communication Records 1 year

1.3 Daily Patient Logs 1 year

1.4 Laboratory worksheet/Work list 2 years

1.5 Instrument Maintenance Records Life of Instrument (+2 years)

1.6 Patient Test Result (preliminary & Final) 2 years

1.7 Referring doctor’s request or Requisition form 3 years

1.8 Laboratory Methods/Procedure manuals 3 years

1.9 Quality Control Records 5 years

1.10 Specimen samples 7 days from the date of receipt or until 2 days
after the date of the issued report.

1.11 Accession records 2 years

1.12 Test Procedures At least 2 years after the procedure has been
discontinued

1.13 Gated dot plots & histograms 5 years

1.14 Training, Qualification and Competency 3 years + last day of employment

1.15 Supplier Qualification records 2 years

1.16 Specimen Rejection Logs 3 months

1.17 Record of Destruction of records containing personal health 2 years

information

1.18 Proficiency Testing Records 2 years

1.19 Proficiency Testing Material Until Final participant results are received

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1.20 Discontinued policies and Procedures 5 years

1.21 Quality improvement records 2 years

II. Minimum Retention times for anatomical/cytological Pathology

2.1 Slides:

1. Sections of Fixed tissue preserved in mounting medium 10 years

2. Sections of unfixed tissue not in permanent mounting
medium
7 days

2.2 Blocks of tissue embedded in paraffin wax or any other 10 years

permanent embedding medium

2.3 Exfoliative cytology and fine needle aspiration (FNAB) 10 years

2.4 Gynaecological (cervical) cytology slides 5 years

2.5 Sputum, urine and other body fluids Urine and sputum (after the date issued the
report)

Other body fluids (48hours)

2.6 Specimens received in liquid-based fixative 1 month

III. Minimum Retention times for hematology

(general minimum retention times) for both record and material retention times, unless otherwise specified

Record material Minimum retention time

3.1 Blood Films Clinically significant: 1 year

Not Clinically significant: 1 month

3.2 Plasma for special haemostasis testing 3 months at -20°C or lower

3.3 Blood specimens, other than (1-2) For the purpose of identification and
traceability, noting that repeat testing

3.4 Bone Marrow- slides and reports 10 years

3.5 Routine coagulation plasma (2-8°C) 2 days after the date issued report, under
appropriate storage condition

3.6 EDTA blood (2-8°C or room temp) 2 days after the date issued report, under
appropriate storage condition

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IV. Minimum retention times for Microbiology

Record/material Minimum retention times

4.1 Slides Wet preparations: discard after issued

report
Gram stains: 2 weeks
Ziehl-Neelsen stains: 6 weeks
Other stained slides: 2 weeks

4.2 Isolates Clinically significant: 5 days

Not Clinically significant: discard
immediately after issued report

4.3 Serum/plasma for infectious disease serological testing All sera (unless specified below): 4
months

4.4 Urine specimen for microbial examination 3 days from date of receipt under
refrigeration

4.5 Parasitology specimen (fecalysis) Discard immediately after issued report

4.6 Mycology specimens (temp. dependent on specimen type) Discard immediately after issued report

4.7 Positive smears from sterile sites (but negative culture) 1 year

V. Minimum retention times for Clinical Chemistry:

5.1 Serum/plasma (2-8°C) 48 hours after issued report

5.2 CSF and other body Fluids 48 hours after issued report

5.3 Urine samples 24 hours (refrigeration) or discard

immediately after issued report

5.4 Semen analysis 2-3 days from the date of receipt for
purpose of identification and traceability
noting that repeat testing may not be
technically reliable after 1 day.

5.5 24 hour urine sample Discard immediately after issued report

5.6 Electrophoresis & Immunofixation gels (room temp) 1 year

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 VI. Minimum Retention times for Immunohematology:

6.1 Patient Records Indefinite

6.2 Antibody investigation reports Indefinite

6.3 Blood bank request, release forms and transfusion forms 5 years

6.4 Deferred donors indefinitely and permanently Indefinite

6.5 Blood component donor information, consent and collection 10 years

6.6 Transfusion reaction reports Indefinite

6.7 Control system for donor testing 5 years

6.8 Specimens from blood donor units and recipients 7 days

6.9 Records of employee signatures, initials and ID codes 10 years

Date Effective: _________________________

Prepared By: Reviewed by:

Dayle Daniel G. Sorveto, RMT Joselli C. Rueda, MD

Section Head department of Clinical chemistry/ Quality
control and Quality assurance officer Head Department Pathologist
Received By: Approved By:

Karl M. Roble, RN Dr. Lea T. Obejera

Quality Assurance Officer Director / Head
Date Signed: _________________________ Date Signed: _________________________

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