Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 333.16213 - Retention of records

Retention of records

All patient records are considered to be the property of and are held in the custody of the health care provider. A physician must keep and maintain records for each patient for at least 7 years after the patient’s last visit.  A physician may destroy a record less than 7 years old only if the physician sends written notice to the patient’s last known address informing him that the record will be destroyed and give the patient the opportunity to request a copy of the record.  If a practice is closed or if the provider dies, the provider, custodian or personal representative cannot abandon the records, but must provide written notice who will have custody of the records and who patients may contact for access to their records.  If medical records held for at least 7 years are destroyed, they must be shredded, incinerated, or electronically deleted to maintain confidentiality of the records. If a physician does not comply with these rules, he can be fined $10,000 if he acted negligently or committed willful misconduct.