Final answer:
Radiology records for adult patients should generally be kept for 7-10 years after the last service. Policies should be made considering costs, quality of life, and privacy, and take into account ongoing advancements and irradiation safety in medical imaging.
Step-by-step explanation:
Retention of radiology records, including report copies, printouts, films, scans, and other image records of adult patients, varies depending on regulations and hospital policies. However, a general guideline is that these records should be kept for a minimum of 7 to 10 years after the last date of service. Some factors influencing the retention period include state laws, the possibility of future medical needs, and institutional policies. It's important for healthcare facilities to establish policies to balance the costs of treatments and diagnoses, patient quality of life, and risks to individual privacy. Three questions facilities may consider when developing these policies include: How can we minimize the costs without compromising patient care? What measures can we take to protect patient privacy effectively? And to what extent do retention periods impact patient quality of life?