Some government agencies process sensitive patient medical information as part of their healthcare, public health, and administrative responsibilities. For example, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides healthcare services to veterans and maintains medical records related to treatment, prescriptions, diagnoses, and follow-up care. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collects, analyzes, and shares health data to monitor disease outbreaks, identify public health risks, and develop strategies to prevent illness.
State and local health departments also collect and maintain medical information for purposes such as disease reporting, immunization tracking, emergency response, and community health programs. Because this information may include personally identifiable health information, agencies that qualify as covered entities or business associates under HIPAA must comply with strict privacy and security requirements. This includes limiting access to approved personnel, protecting electronic records, training staff, and using safeguards to prevent unauthorized disclosure. These protections help preserve public trust while allowing agencies to perform essential health-related functions.
Government agencies must file and serve certain legal documents in physical form, including court documents such as complaints, motions, and pleadings. The FRCP also requires agencies to retain physical copies of certain records for a specified period of time.
Government agencies typically use physical filing systems to store and manage these documents, complying with these requirements. Compliance involves creating and organizing physical files, labeling and indexing them for easy retrieval and implementing appropriate security measures to protect sensitive information. Agencies must also train staff on proper filing and storage procedures, establish retention schedules for different records, and develop disaster recovery plans to ensure that physical copies of critical documents are backed up and protected.
Some government agencies may utilize document management systems that integrate physical and digital records, enabling easier management and retrieval of information. However, to comply with FRCP, physical copies of certain records must still be maintained and made available as needed.
NARA recommends that agencies maintain a “vital records” program that includes physical backup copies of critical documents. Agencies must also follow NARA’s regulations on transferring and disposing of records, which outline the procedures for transferring records to NARA’s custody or destroying them.
Government agencies must develop and implement record management policies and procedures to comply with NARA’s guidance, including identifying and classifying records, establishing retention schedules, and ensuring that documents are stored and protected securely and appropriately. Agencies must also train their employees on record management best practices and ensure that they follow established procedures for managing and disposing of records.
Additionally, government agencies may work with NARA to transfer their records to NARA’s custody for long-term preservation and access. NARA guides and assists agencies in the transfer process, including preparing transfer requests and packing and shipment records.
Government agencies are often required to retain financial records for a specified period, commonly seven years, depending on the applicable law, regulation, or records retention policy. These records may include invoices, receipts, contracts, payroll documentation, purchase orders, grant records, and audit materials. While digital records can be useful for backup, searchability, and day-to-day access, agencies may still need to preserve original physical documents when required for legal, audit, or compliance purposes.
In addition to retaining records, agencies must ensure that financial documentation is accurate, complete, and properly organized. Strong internal controls help prevent fraud, reduce errors, protect public funds, and support transparent financial reporting. These controls may include approval workflows, segregation of duties, secure record storage, and regular reconciliation.
Government agencies may also be reviewed by internal or independent auditors, who examine financial records and controls to confirm compliance with laws, policies, and accounting standards.
Natural disasters, cyber-attacks, system failures, and other unexpected events can lead to the loss, damage, or corruption of digital records. For government agencies, this can create serious operational, legal, and compliance challenges, especially when the affected records include financial documents, legal files, medical information, permits, contracts, or other vital records. Maintaining physical backups of critical documents provides an added layer of protection against these risks.
Physical filing systems help ensure that essential records remain accessible even when digital systems are offline, compromised, or unavailable. In the event of a power outage, ransomware attack, network failure, or data loss incident, properly stored paper records can support continuity of operations and recovery efforts.
When combined with secure storage, organized indexing, and disaster recovery planning, physical records serve as a dependable backup method that helps agencies preserve important information and continue serving the public.
