List records rather than copying everything
A register can record the item description, date, custodian and secure storage location. It need not contain the footage, patient chart or threatening message itself. Restrict access according to the institution’s procedure. The purpose is to help authorised reviewers locate originals, not to build a public archive of a dispute or make a committee chat the evidence repository.
Make handling traceable
Ask the designated custodian to record when a copy is created or transferred and to whom it is supplied. Preserve originals and distinguish a working copy from the source material. Do not edit the original to add captions or improve appearance. A lawyer or investigating authority should advise on formal evidentiary requirements for the case.
Review completeness privately
Check whether expected items are missing and who can lawfully obtain them. Mark uncertainty openly instead of filling gaps with assumptions. Keep clinical records within their normal access controls. The downloadable blank evidence worksheet on this site is an organisational aid; completing it does not authenticate a file or establish that it will be accepted in proceedings.
A useful review question
Can the authorised custodian find each original without searching through personal phones or forwarded messages?
Further reading
- 2022 case study · Advocate Aurora Health safety-event reporting ↗American Hospital Association · Source checked 2026-09-10
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