Healthcare Records Management in Pennsylvania: Reynolds vs. National Vendors
For Pennsylvania healthcare providers, a regional records partner offers HIPAA-aligned scanning, Laserfiche indexing, and EMR/EHR integration with named local contacts. Reynolds Business Systems serves Lehigh Valley health systems — including LVHN and St. Luke's — with HIPAA documentation retained per 45 CFR §164.316 and access controls per the HIPAA Security Rule, where national vendors offer no Pennsylvania-specific presence.
Most healthcare providers have adopted electronic medical records (EMR) — but paper charts, legacy microfilm, and shadow files still exist, and they still have to be retained, secured, and retrievable. The question is who digitizes and manages them. National records vendors treat healthcare as one industry among many. A regional partner treats your health system as a local account. This guide compares the two for Pennsylvania providers.
Is document scanning HIPAA-compliant?
Document scanning is HIPAA-compliant when the digitized records are protected by the controls the HIPAA Security Rule requires for electronic protected health information (ePHI): access controls and audit controls under 45 CFR §164.312. Scanned charts indexed in Laserfiche with role-based access and audit trails satisfy those technical safeguards — which is often stronger protection than a paper chart room a dozen people can walk into.
Reynolds vs. national vendors for healthcare records
| Factor | Iron Mountain | Access Corp | Reynolds (regional PA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| HIPAA posture | HIPAA-attested products | HIPAA-attested, SOC 2 | HIPAA-aligned scanning + Laserfiche access/audit controls |
| EMR/EHR integration | Platform-led | EHR archival (Access Unify) | Scan → index → connect to your EMR |
| PA healthcare references | None named | None named | LVHN, St. Luke's (named, local) |
| Service model | National warehouse | National + “local teams” | Same-week, on-site Lehigh Valley |
| Laserfiche partnership | — | — | Laserfiche Gold Partner |
Medical-record retention itself is set by state law (Pennsylvania generally requires adult records be kept several years, longer for minors), while HIPAA sets a separate 6-year retention floor for compliance documentation under 45 CFR §164.316(b)(2). Confirm specific retention periods with counsel — Reynolds digitizes and indexes records so that whatever schedule applies is easy to meet and audit.
Scanning paper charts into your EMR: the workflow
The migration from paper to a connected digital chart is a defined process, not a one-time dump:
- Prepare — inventory, de-staple, and batch charts by record type and retention class.
- Scan — capture at diagnostic-grade resolution with quality control on every batch.
- Index — tag each record with patient identifiers and document type in Laserfiche.
- Connect — link indexed records to your EMR/EHR so clinicians retrieve them in workflow.
- Secure — apply role-based access and audit controls (45 CFR §164.312).
- Dispose — destroy source paper under a documented, compliant chain of custody once verified.
Frequently asked questions
Is medical records scanning HIPAA-compliant?
Yes, when the scanned ePHI is protected by access controls and audit controls as required by the HIPAA Security Rule (45 CFR §164.312). Reynolds indexes scanned charts in Laserfiche with role-based access and audit trails.
How long must medical records be retained?
HIPAA requires compliance documentation to be retained 6 years (45 CFR §164.316(b)(2)). The retention of the medical records themselves is governed by Pennsylvania state law and varies by patient age and record type — confirm specifics with counsel.
Can scanned charts integrate with our EMR/EHR?
Yes. Reynolds indexes records in Laserfiche and connects them to your EMR/EHR so clinicians retrieve documents inside their existing workflow.
Who scans medical records in the Lehigh Valley?
Reynolds Business Systems provides HIPAA-aligned medical records scanning for Lehigh Valley health systems, including named work with LVHN and St. Luke's. Explore healthcare document solutions or our
Sources Cited
3 REFS- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services / eCFR
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services / eCFR
- Access Information Management
