What records should be mailed to the Washington National Record Center?

Mailing outpatient records upon release or final disposition to the Washington National Record Center is essential because these records provide a comprehensive overview of an individual’s medical care during their time as a detainee. This ensures that relevant health information is preserved in a secure manner for future reference, which is critical for ongoing patient care and for maintaining accurate historical medical records. Proper documentation of outpatient care is vital for tracking long-term health outcomes and for legal reasons related to detainee health services.

Admission records, detainee photographs, and medical history forms are not typically directed to the Washington National Record Center, as they serve different purposes. Admission records relate to the initial intake process and may be maintained within different healthcare systems. Detainee photographs are often for identification and security reasons rather than medical documentation. Medical history forms are usually kept in the individual’s medical file and are not part of the records that are centralized in the way outpatient records are upon a detainee's release. Therefore, the focus on outpatient records ensures that all necessary health information transitions out of the detainee system properly and comprehensively.