100K medical records destroyed in fire

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - University of New Mexico Hospital officials blame a big fire at an Albuquerque warehouse for the destruction of thousands of medical records.

Hospital Executive Director Catherine Porto said the fire destroyed about 90 percent of the hospital’s medical records dated before 2005. Porto said 100,000-plus patient files were lost.

The fire started June 23 and ravaged through the "Springer Industrial Center" near Broadway Boulevard and Mountain Road NE.

The fire burned for several days, and it’s believed 40 percent of the records were destroyed then. A week later the fire flared up again, and flames and more water destroyed everything else.

Porto said fortunately the hospital switched to a digital system five years ago. She said all visits from 2005 to the present are electronically filed.

"Because of that we really had no complaints that the fire damage has hampered patient care in any way,” Porto said.

Porto said some patients have already requested some pre-2005 medical records. She said the hospital sent out a letter to them verifying their records were destroyed.

Along with patient records, medical research documents were also stored inside the warehouse.

Hospital officials said they don't know how many projects were lost, but they believe the main researchers of the projects should have most of the data stored on computer.

Porto said they have one more storage center. The records that are being housed there are now being scanned into the new system.

Hospital officials said in New Mexico medical records must be stored in an area with 24-hour security and a sprinkler system. The warehouse had both so the hospital was in compliance.