Documentation Planning for the U.S. Health Care System

Because health care institutions produce massive quantities of records, and because these institutions have complex interconnections with other organizations, they now need to take an active approach to selecting documentation for historical preservation. This book provides the background information necessary for archivists who deal with health care systems records to devise appropriate procedures, including a systematic method for devising institutional documentation plans (strategic plans that specify which materials should be preserved). Volume editor Joan Krizack begins by offering a general overview of the US health care system and of the different settings in which care is delivered. Contributing authors then discuss the salient characteristics for archivists of health agencies and foundations; biomedical research facilities; educational institutions; professional and voluntary associations; and health industries. In the final chapter, Krizack explains how to develop and carry out a documentation plan, describing the implementation of one such plan at Children's Hospital in Boston.