advices. 4. Medical/health record for throughout the stay in prison to ascertain the continuity of treatment by looking at the chronology and provision of de initive management. 5. Referral/dietary advice to ascertain the timeliness of patient care and other advices. 6. Punishment book record to ascertain and corroborate the critical indings with the punishment in prison. 7. Post-mortem report, forensic science laboratory toxicology, histopathology report, post-mortem videography and expert opinion to ascertain manner and cause of death which need to be corroborated with clinical record. 8. Magistrate for any other inquiry report 10. What could be the consequences of incomplete medical record? • • • • • An incomplete medical record Contains gaps re lecting inadequate patient care Demonstrates that care was incomplete Demonstrates non-compliance with established norms/policies Is used to support allegations of negligence Is used to support allegations of fraud. 11. For how long medical record should be maintained? There are no de inite guidelines in India regarding how long to retain medical records. The hospitals follow their own pattern retaining the records for varied periods of time. AIIMS, New Delhi maintains indoor/MLC record for 10 years and OPD record for 5 years (also as per DGHS, MOHFW, GOI). Under the provisions of the Limitation Act 1963 and Section 24A of the Consumer Protection Act 1986, which dictates the time within which a complaint has to be iled, it is advisable to maintain records for 2 years for outpatient records and 3 years for inpatient and surgical cases. However the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act allows for condoning the delay in appropriate cases. This means that the records may be needed even after 3 years. It is important to note that in paediatric cases a medical negligence case can be iled by the child after acquiring the age of majority. The Medical Council of India guidelines also insist on preserving the inpatient records in a UNDERSTANDING THE HEALTH CARE IN CUSTODY | 8