TS 12217

TS 12217 addresses the criteria for medical record services in hospitals. Medical records are central to continuity of care, clinical decision-making, administrative processing, and internal review within a hospital. As a result, the medical record service is not just a filing function; it is an essential information-management activity that helps ensure patient data are organized, retrievable, and handled consistently.

The role of medical record services in a hospital

In general technical terms, medical record services cover the collection, classification, storage, protection, and retrieval of patient identity data, clinical notes, test results, discharge summaries, and related documents. Effective record management supports continuity of information and consistency across departments. It is also closely connected with hospital administration, confidentiality practices, archiving discipline, and traceability of documents.

What this standard focuses on

Based on the stated scope, this standard sets out the criteria that medical record services in hospitals need to meet. It provides a reference point for the organization and operation of that service within the hospital structure. The subject is also tied to quality management and document control in healthcare institutions; however, this description is a technical introduction to the topic and does not list every detailed provision of the standard.

• Organizing hospital medical information so it can be handled and retrieved systematically
• Supporting clinical and administrative workflows with orderly record movement
• Applying disciplined archiving, retention, and retrieval practices
• Strengthening document integrity, confidentiality, and traceability