Standards for Retention of Surgical Records

The Guidelines for Medical Records have been updated and to require that surgical records for non-USDA regulated species including rodents (mice and rats), reptiles, amphibians, and fish now need to be maintained for a period of one year after the completion of the post-surgical monitoring period.

Additionally, surgical records (or copies of those records) for USDA-regulated rodents such as guinea pigs, hamsters, and gerbils will need to be turned in to veterinary technical staff as our records for other USDA-regulated species.

• Resources will be provided for turning in records for storage at animal housing locations for non-USDA regulated species. Records for USDA-regulated species will be turned into veterinary technicians. (see details below)

For additional details, view the updated Guidelines on Medical Records for Investigative Personnel.

Initial implementation will begin January 18, 2016. Beginning on that date resources will be available for turning in applicable records (please see details below) and IACUC, Husbandry and Veterinary staff will be visiting facilities and laboratories to evaluate application of the new processes and to provide help and guidance to research personnel on these processes. Final implementation and adherence to these new standards is expected by April 15, 2016.

• For non-USDA regulated species, each animal room (or animal facility) will have a dropbox for surgical records. Research personnel should use drop boxes to submit completed surgical records (or copies of those records if the laboratory wishes to maintain original copies for their own purposes) when the postsurgical monitoring period is complete for the species listed above. Facility staff will maintain the records locally for the year period, then dispose of them appropriately after that time.
   
• Surgical records for USDA-regulated rodents (GPs, hamsters, etc.) will be turned into veterinary technicians for filing and storage. This follows the process we currently have for the USDA-regulated non-rodents. Locations of veterinary technician dropboxes can be found in the applicable guideline listed above.