Record Destruction for a Medical Facility

Does your medical facility have a room full of protected health information that you need disposed of? You should get rid of the information properly. According to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) of 1996, medical records must be disposed of in a certain way to ensure that no one gets a hold of a patient’s private medical information. We’re here to look at why HIPPA exists, what it does, and how to properly dispose of medical documents.

Why Does HIPPA Exist?

You might be asking yourself why HIPPA is in place. It ensures patients that their sensitive information does not get out to the public. HIPPA was made to meet three major goals; reduce health care fraud and abuse, guarantee the security and privacy of health information, and to enforce standards for health information.

Document destruction in Baltimore is no different than document destruction anywhere else. HIPPA was set in place to protect private information, and if you violate the Act, you will face serious consequences. Not complying to HIPPA requirements while disposing of a medical document can result in criminal fines up to $250,000, ten years in prison, and civil fines up to $25,000 a year.

The Privacy Rule

Essentially, the Privacy Rule is placed in HIPPA to drive home that no one will see your private medical information without your expressed consent. Only you and medical professionals are allowed to see your protected health information. In emergencies, doctors will have access to your records for your safety, otherwise no one else should be seeing them unless you give them the permission to. The Privacy Rule does not require you to share any information with anyone, unless they are your personal representative.

How Do I Get Rid Of My Documents?

To dispose of medical records properly you can do several things. You can burn the documents, shred them, or, if they’re electronic, purge them from your computer system. You don’t have to worry about HIPPA fines and penalties if you work with us to do your document destruction right here in Baltimore. Contact us at Broadview Waste Services to help get your document destruction done.