How long does an office hold medical records of an old patient?

• A. 3 years
• B. 5 years
• C. 7 years
• D. 10 years

Answer: (C)

Medical record retention is about keeping enough history for ongoing care and to protect the practice in case of claims. For adults, the common practice is to retain records for seven years after the last encounter. Minors require longer retention—typically until they reach age 21—so their records stay longer. Since the patient is no longer a minor, seven years after the last visit is the standard duration.