Clinical Research Records Management
Rutgers’ Records Management System is a comprehensive program for controlling university records from creation to destruction, featuring an online database for managing electronic and physical files, a centralized Records Center for inactive storage (IPO manages this), and official retention schedules for compliance, all overseen by the Records Management Office (IPO/Records Management) to ensure legal, fiscal, and historical requirements are met, with authorized users managing their department’s records via web access.
Key Components & Functions:
- Records Management Office (IPO): Provides guidance, policies, and oversight for all records.
- Records Retention Schedules: Define how long records must be kept for legal, fiscal, administrative, or historical reasons.
- Online System: A web-based platform for authorized users to:
- Index, search, and request stored records.
- Authorize destruction of records after retention periods expire.
- Place records on legal hold.
- Rutgers Records Center: A secure facility for storing inactive paper and electronic records, with retrieval and pickup services.
- Shredding Services: Secure destruction of records at the Records Center, with certificates of destruction provided.
How it Works:
- Creation/Receipt: Records are created or received in any format.
- Management: Records are categorized, indexed, and assigned retention periods using university guidelines.
- Storage: Inactive records are stored in the Records Center or the online system.
- Disposition: Once retention periods end and authorization is granted through the online system, records are securely destroyed or transferred to archives.
Purpose:
- Ensure legal and regulatory compliance (e.g., HIPAA, state/federal laws).
- Protect the university’s legal and financial interests.
- Preserve historically significant records.
- Provide efficient management, storage, retrieval, and disposal of information.
You can find more detailed policies and services on the Rutgers Institutional Planning and Operations (IPO) Records Management website.