Certified Inpatient Coding (CIC) Practice Exam

How should medical records be obtained for patients transferred to other facilities after a tornado damages the hospital's systems?

1. You don't need to, the receiving hospital will create their own record

2. You wait until your server has dried out and been restored then send the records later

3. You obtain copies from your disaster recovery server

4. Fill out downtime forms with patient information

The correct answer is: You obtain copies from your disaster recovery server

The correct approach in this situation is to obtain copies from your disaster recovery server. A disaster recovery server is specifically designed to store and protect critical patient information during unforeseen events such as a tornado. It ensures that despite damage to primary systems, patient records can still be accessed, thereby maintaining continuity of care for transferred patients. Using the disaster recovery server allows healthcare providers to quickly acquire and transfer essential medical records to the receiving facility, ensuring that proper treatment continues without unnecessary delays. This action not only aids in patient care but also complies with health information management standards by safeguarding the availability of data, even in challenging circumstances. Other options may not provide a comprehensive solution to the need for timely access to patient records. For instance, relying on the receiving hospital to create their own records does not take into consideration the accuracy and completeness of medical history required for proper treatment. Waiting for the server to be restored could cause significant delays that may negatively impact patient care. Filling out downtime forms may assist in tracking information but does not expedite the actual retrieval of medical records necessary for patient care. Thus, utilizing the disaster recovery server is the most efficient and effective method in this scenario.