Protected health information could be more likely to be breached than digital records. Here are some tips to keep that information secure.
I've written about HIPAA compliance from a few angles recently; copier hard drives, restricting and monitoring access to the copier, and using document management software or an EHR to help keep patient records secure.
I haven't written about paper yet. And as much as many of us might like to go 100% digital in our business processes, most of us aren't there yet. And I know when I go to the doctor, I still see the color-coded manila folders containing patient files on the sliding file cabinets behind the reception desk.
In 2012, there were more breaches involving medical records on paper covered by HIPAA than electronic records – 45 from mid-May to mid-June. “Hacking” information doesn't just happen to digital information. Paper records and electronic records need to be treated the same – don't forget about the paper!