Data Retention Procedures

Healthicity does not automatically delete audits, projects, reports, medical records, or bulk import claim files tied to completed audit work because this data often serves as a client's official record of past audit findings, corrective actions, and regulatory compliance efforts. This data may be needed for future re-audits, appeals, litigation holds, accreditation reviews, or to demonstrate compliance during a state or federal audits that vary by client, industry, and applicable state retention law, and that Healthicity is not positioned to determine on a client's behalf. Rather than impose a fixed deletion schedule on this data, Healthicity gives clients control over when it is purged or destroyed, by way of the request process outlined above. This ensures clients retain the ability to view, print, or reference their audit history for as long as they require it, and only relinquish that data when they have independently confirmed it is no longer needed to meet their organization's regulatory, legal, or operational obligations.

Clients may request that Healthicity purge or destroy specific data stored within Audit Manager when the need arises.  This document outlines the process, how to submit a request, what information to include, and what to expect once a request has been submitted.

Healthicity does maintains automated quarterly purging of Claims Connect data — specifically, claim data that was imported but not selected for audit.  This data is purged 15 months after the date of service on the claim. For further details, see the article titled Claims Connect Data Management Procedures and Processes.

Step 1: Submit a Support Ticket

1. Log in to Audit Manager.
2. Click the red circle icon in the lower right corner of the page.
3. Click Technical Support.
4. Click Create New Ticket.

Step 2: Specify What Needs to Be Purged or Destroyed

When completing the ticket, identify the scope of your request using any combination of the following criteria:

You may combine these criteria to scope your request as broadly or narrowly as needed. For example:

• "Destroy medical records and bulk import claim files for University Health's January 2018 ABC Routine audits."
• "Purge all bulk import claim files for all clients with dates of service before 1/1/2027."

Step 3: Provide Timing Requirements

Indicate in your request:

• The date by which the purge/destruction needs to be completed. Please note that these requests typically take 2-4 weeks to fulfill, so plan your requested completion date accordingly.
• Whether the request is tied to a regulatory deadline (e.g., end of a state-mandated retention period) or an internal policy requirement

Step 4: Provide Documentation Requirements

Let us know if you require any documentation from Healthicity confirming the purge/destruction, such as:

• A certificate of destruction
• A summary log listing what data was deleted (time period, client, project, data type)
• Confirmation of the date the purge was completed

If you have a specific format or template required for your internal compliance records, please attach it to the ticket or describe the required fields.

Step 5: What Happens Next

1. Healthicity's support team will review the ticket to confirm the scope of the request is clear and complete.
2. If any clarification is needed, your Client Success Manager (CSM) will contact the requestor directly with follow-up questions.
3. Once confirmed, the request will be routed to the appropriate internal team for processing. This includes:
   • Isolating the data identified in the request (by time period, client, project, and/or data type) to ensure only the intended data is affected.
   • Preparing scripts to remove the isolated data.
   • Testing the scripts in a test environment to confirm that only the data intended for purging or destruction will be affected before any action is taken in production.
   • Removing and destroying the data in production once testing confirms accuracy.
   • Creating appropriate documentation of the completed action (e.g., certificate of destruction, summary log), per what was specified in the original client request ticket.
4. The client will be notified once the process is complete, along with any requested documentation.

What "purging" and "destruction" mean:

• Purging refers to the permanent removal of data from Healthicity's active, production systems (e.g., Audit Manager). Once purged, the data is no longer visible, accessible, or retrievable through the application by Healthicity staff or clients.
• Destruction refers to the permanent removal of the data from all Healthicity systems, including backups, archives, and any other storage locations, such that the data cannot be recovered or reconstructed by any means. This is a more comprehensive action than purging and is typically appropriate when a client requires assurance that data no longer exists anywhere within Healthicity's environment (e.g., to satisfy a regulatory or compliance requirement).

Clients should specify whether their request is for purging (removal from active use) or destruction (complete), as this determines the scope of work performed and the timeline required. If a request does not clearly specify which is intended, your CSM will follow up to confirm before processing.

Important Notes

• Purging or destroying audits, projects, or reports is irreversible. Once removed, this data cannot be recovered or re-audited.
• Clients are encouraged to confirm internally that any data identified for destruction is no longer needed before submitting the request.
• Requests involving broad scope (e.g., all clients, large date ranges) may require additional processing time; please account for this when specifying your required completion date.