Final answer:
AHIMA advises that the Master Patient Index (MPI) should be maintained permanently due to its importance in patient care, legal matters, reimbursement, and research.
Step-by-step explanation:
AHIMA's (American Health Information Management Association's) record retention guidelines recommend that the Master Patient Index (MPI) be maintained permanently. The MPI is a vital component of a health system's information management and is used to accurately identify patients, integrate data from various sources, and maintain a complete history of care services provided. It is crucial for ongoing patient care, legal purposes, reimbursement, and research; hence, the permanent retention recommendation.