Implemented in 1996 and mandated as federal legislation, HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act) was established to prevent any fraudulent behavior, while also maintaining protection over the personal information of health care patients. In essence, this act states that all health care providers throughout the United States need to follow specific security processes to ensure confidential information remains safe and secure from unauthorized exposure.
HIPAA conditions dictate that patient details, whether from the past, present or future, need to be safeguarded at all times. Records pertain to private personal matters or include such information as patient history, notes, forms, and daily logs, must be properly cared for and protected while in the trusted hands of a healthcare institution or medical Centre. Information cannot be shared by law unless permission is provided by the patient to do so.
Who Must Consider the Implications of HIPAA?
HIPAA affects the healthcare industry as a whole. Any healthcare facility that provides health services to U.S citizens are legally required to have strict processes in place that contribute to safe and smart control over patient records. Should an audit take place at your medical office, following HIPAA guidelines communicates that the appropriate steps were taken to stop the risk of disclosed private matters. Without protective precautionary measures in place, it may be revealed that personal information has or is, being viewed by unauthorized individuals. As mentioned, HIPAA regulations are applicable to hospitals, medical centers, chiropractors, dentists, psychologists, psychiatrists and any other industries that hold personal health information.
SAFESHRED Helps Clients Remain HIPAA Compliant
Any and all medical documents that no longer require keeping should be safely disposed of in lockable bins prior to secure shredding. This step alone dramatically reduces the risk of lost and stolen records, as there is no chance they will become misplaced. Any patient records that are left out in the open or stored in desks that lack security are in a risky position. Remember that you have a legal obligation to protect your patients. Do your best to ensure this is carried out, to save yourself from a headache and legal hassle down the road. SAFESHRED will supply you with secure collection bins or carts that you are free to place throughout your medical office where appropriate. The presence of these containers will provide a daily reminder to your employees, encouraging your staff to keep private matters out of garbage bins. We use our state-of-the-art shred equipment and technology, paired with our expert document destruction professionals to complete the job effectively. Our team is more than skilled to work with your healthcare facility to remain in compliance with shredding requirements under HIPAA.
When you partner with SAFESHRED you have the ability to view the entire document shredding process from beginning to end for extended peace of mind and reassurance. Not only that, we will also present our clients with a Certificate of Destruction following every shred job, clearly indicating what, when and how, documents were securely shredded, for your records and future referral. Trust in our professional team to look after your document security management, with services that are 100% reliable and meet the highest industry standards.
For additional information about the specifics of HIPAA and our secure paper shredding services, please don’t hesitate to reach out and speak to one of our representatives. We’ll also happily offer you any additional security tips for effective protection over patient information.
Call 1-800-987-4733 for additional information about our secure document shredding services.
