Which of the following is NOT associated with the risks to medical records?

Record retention is an essential practice in health care that ensures medical records are kept for a predetermined period to fulfill legal, regulatory, and patient care requirements. While it involves risks in terms of how long records are held and how they are disposed of, it is not inherently a risk itself but rather a necessary action to safeguard patient information and comply with legal standards.

In contrast, inappropriate access, record tampering, and loss due to disaster are all significant risks that directly threaten the security and integrity of medical records. Inappropriate access refers to unauthorized individuals gaining access to sensitive information, which can lead to breaches of confidentiality. Record tampering involves altering or falsifying medical records, which compromises the accuracy of patient information. Loss due to disaster encompasses any circumstance, such as natural disasters, that could result in the physical loss or destruction of medical records, further putting patient information at risk.

Recognizing the importance of record retention helps professionals manage and protect medical records while addressing the more pressing risks associated with unauthorized access, integrity issues, and potential loss.