The Specialist Forum Volume 13 No 11 November 2013 | Page 51

CPD QUESTIONS CPD Ethics Article Questions SURNAME YOUR HPCSA REGISTRATION NO. INITIALS MP Address: Telephone: Fax: E-mail: YES! I would like to receive The Specialist Forum for FREE monthly. Questions True or false: 1 Good records management is not essential for the continuity of care of your patients, and can not reduce the risk of adverse incidents through misplaced or untraceable records. T F 2 It is good practice for every healthcare organisation to have a records management policy in place. T F 3 Records should not be kept for more than six years after they become dormant. T F 4 The records of minors should be kept until their 21st birthday. T F 5 The records of patients who are mentally impaired should be kept until the patient’s death. T F 6 Records pertaining to illness or accident arising from a person’s occupation should be kept for 10 years after treatment has ended. T F 7 Records kept in provincial hospitals and clinics should only be destroyed with the authorisation of the patient concerned. T F 8 Retention periods should not be extended even if there are specific reasons for doing so, such as when a patient has been exposed to conditions that might manifest in a slow-developing disease, such as asbestosis. T F 9 The cost and space implications of keeping records indefinitely must be balanced against the possibility that records will be found useful in the defence of litigation or for academic or research purposes. T F 10 Records held electronically are covered by the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, which specifies that personal information must be deleted or destroyed when it becomes obsolete. T F 11 If you use an outside contractor to dispose of patient-identifiable information, it is crucial that you have a confidentiality agreement in place and that the contractor provides you with certification that the files have been destroyed. T F 12 You don’t need to register all healthcare records that have been destroyed or otherwise disposed of. T F This is to state that I have participated in the CPD-approved programme and that these are my own answers. Signature Date INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Go to www.media24medac.co.za/ 2. Click the tab labelled 'Register Online' in the grey strap. 3. Complete the form and click 'Apply'. 4. You will receive an email with your username and password. 5. Login at 'Secure section login'. 6. Within the secure section, complete the applicable ethics article questionnaire. 7. Print certificate certifying CPD points achieved. ? Fax to: +27 086 270 2680 The Specialist Forum | November 2013 Page 39