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The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) plays a significant role in the storage and management of military medical records. Since 2002, the NPRC Medical Registry System (MRS) has indexed the medical records of Military Treatment Facilities (MTF) that have been retired to NPRC.
Clinical records created for military personnel while on active duty, as well as those for military retirees, dependents, and other non-military personnel who received treatment at MTFs, are all stored at the NPRC. This includes hospital inpatient records and both inpatient and outpatient records from MTFs.
When it comes to retiring MTF medical records, MTF PAD POC personnel are responsible for the task. They must have access to the ARCIS/MRS MTF Customer Web Portal to facilitate this process. Once retired, these records are electronically indexed in the NPRC Medical Registry System (MRS).
The NPRC stores retired MTF clinical records and medical treatment records for the Army, Navy, Air Force, and the Defense Health Agency (DHA). It's worth noting that MTF medical records are retired to NPRC for storage.
As for analog records, agencies are required to transfer them to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) by June 30, 2024, according to updated federal records management directives. However, agencies seeking a limited exception to this transfer deadline can apply by demonstrating specific, justified reasons.
The criteria for a limited exception usually involve providing evidence that records cannot be processed or prepared for transfer by the deadline, showing compelling operational or security reasons that necessitate delayed transfer, and submitting a formal request outlining the scope, timeline, and alternative arrangements to safeguard the analog records until transfer.
The process for requesting a limited exception typically requires agencies to communicate directly with NARA, submitting documentation as part of an approved records management schedule or exception approval process. This coordination ensures that NARA has oversight and can monitor compliance while accounting for agency limitations.
While the specific details of these policies may not be explicitly detailed in available search results as of mid-2025, this framework aligns with standard federal records management practices under the Federal Records Act and NARA regulations, which are periodically updated to address electronic and analog records stewardship.
For precise procedures and forms, agencies should consult the latest NARA regulations or contact NARA’s records management division directly to ensure compliance and to facilitate approved exceptions after June 30, 2024.
The NPRC Medical Registry System (MRS) also manages records from an industry relevant to finance, such as healthcare finance records, as these records are electronically indexed alongside military medical records. Predictably, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) might also play a role in the storage of retired MTF financial records, given that they are responsible for the transfer of analog records after 2024.
