File Management & Retention
Praxi provides secure, compliant file storage for all practice documents, with automated retention policies aligned to Australian healthcare record-keeping obligations.
File Storage
All files uploaded to Praxi are encrypted at rest using AES-256-GCM and stored in Australian data centres.
Uploading Files
- Navigate to the relevant client record or practice area
- Click Upload or drag and drop files into the document area
- Add metadata (category, description, tags) to aid future searching
- Files are automatically virus-scanned before storage (ClamAV)
Additional Features
- File versioning -- Upload new versions of existing files while retaining the full version history
- File comments -- Add comments to files for collaboration and context
- Full-text search -- Search across file names, descriptions, tags, and OCR-extracted text
- Bulk operations -- Select multiple files to delete, download, share, or tag in bulk
- OCR -- Optical character recognition extracts text from uploaded images and scanned documents, making them searchable
Supported File Types
| Category | Formats |
|---|---|
| Documents | PDF, DOCX, DOC, TXT |
| Images | PNG, JPG, JPEG |
Maximum file size is 10 MB per upload. For larger files such as video recordings, contact support to discuss your requirements.
Secure sharing
A practitioner can share a file with its client through the client portal or create a link for an external recipient. The share action checks client ownership and consent before issuing a portal link. Review the recipient and delivery channel before sending it.
Share links expire after seven days by default (at most 90 days), can be password-protected, and can be revoked. Opening a link does not require a Praxi account; the recipient must have the link and, where enabled, the password. Access and revocation are recorded in the file audit trail. Session whiteboard images saved to the client file can use the same sharing flow.
Retention Policies
Australian healthcare regulations require minimum retention periods for clinical records:
| Record Type | Minimum Retention | Regulatory Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Adult clinical records | 7 years from last contact | Privacy Act 1988, state Health Records Acts |
| Minor clinical records | Until age 25 (or 7 years, whichever is longer) | State Health Records Acts |
| Medicare claiming records | 2 years | Medicare Australia |
| Tax invoices | 5 years | ATO requirements |
| NDIS service records | 7 years | NDIS Quality and Safeguards |
Praxi enforces these retention periods automatically. Files subject to a legal hold or active retention policy cannot be deleted.
Legal Holds
Files can be placed under a legal hold to prevent deletion or disposal, regardless of their retention period. This is used when records are subject to a subpoena, litigation, or regulatory investigation.
- Legal holds override all retention policies
- Held files cannot be deleted or disposed of until the hold is released
- All hold and release actions are recorded in the audit trail
Disposal Process
When records reach the end of their retention period:
- Praxi flags eligible records in Settings > Compliance > Records Due for Disposal
- A practice owner or compliance officer reviews the list
- Approved records are securely destroyed with a certificate of destruction generated
- The destruction event is permanently recorded in the audit trail
- Disposal certificates can be retrieved for compliance audits
Always check for active legal holds or subpoenas before approving disposal. Praxi will warn you if a hold exists, but manual verification is recommended.
Retention Notifications
Praxi sends notifications before records are due for disposal:
- Practice owners and compliance officers are notified of upcoming disposal dates
- You can extend the retention period for individual files if needed
Storage Limits by Subscription Tier
| Tier | Storage Included | Additional Storage |
|---|---|---|
| Essentials | 10 GB | $2/month per 10 GB |
| Pro | 50 GB | $2/month per 10 GB |
| Enterprise | Unlimited | Custom pricing |
Monitor your storage usage in Settings → Subscription.
File Sharing
Files can be shared with clients via the client portal, subject to consent:
- Consent-gated sharing -- Client must have document sharing consent recorded before files can be shared
- Sharing links -- Generate secure, time-limited sharing links
- Audit trail -- All sharing events are logged
Who can manage files
Practitioners (and interns, under supervision) can upload and view files for their own clients. Practice owners and practice managers can delete files and have practice-wide access to all documents. Only practice owners can manage legal holds and approve record disposal.