(1) If any hospital is finally closed, its hospital records shall be delivered and turned over, in good order and properly indexed for convenient reference, to the department, which shall store, retain, retire and provide access to the information in the same manner as is provided for by hospitals.
(2) In its discretion, the department may also exercise like authority, and to the same effect, with respect to reproduction of such hospital records as is conferred in § 68-11-306.