Keeping Medical Records Safe

Medical records are sensitive documents that must be maintained correctly in order to comply with federal, state and local governments

. Whether the files are made of paper and stored in the traditional manner or entered into the computer and stored electronically, an accurate tracking database is essential.

In the US, most of the rules that relate to the storage of and access to medical records fall under HIPAA or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Since HIPAA regulations were enacted, each patient must sign a sheet that allows their personal information to be shared with:

*Other medical personnel

*Insurance companies

*Labs

*Legal advisors

*Administrators

*Other healthcare professionals

One of the things that a good tracking database can do is allow healthcare professionals to capture and store signatures on HIPAA forms electronically, rather than trying to store paper files for years to come. The patient has the right to limit access to their personal files, but in most cases, it is necessary to share the information. For example, in order to be reimbursed by a health insurance company for a procedure or prescription, the insurance company must have access to some portions of the file.

Some healthcare professionals believe that the patient should retain and maintain their personal health files. Some patients find that storing that kind of data and remembering to bring it with them when they need medical care is tedious.

Healthcare professionals that prefer to avoid the dreaded "file room" can use a tracking database to store the information instead. Concerns about security and hackers abound, but some of the best databases have built-in firewalls to protect the data.

Since the information in a person's medical records is very sensitive, it is important to ensure that the information is only accessed when necessary. There have been cases of nurses and other employees accessing a patient's personal information for personal gain.

The right tracking database will allow you, the healthcare professional, to determine if anyone has accessed a person's record. You can also learn who accessed the file by requiring that everyone in the office have a specific pass code and that no one has access to any pass code but their own.

The date and time that the information was accessed can be recorded. The reason that the data was viewed should be recorded, as well. For example, large hospitals sometimes use the data for research. That's fine, as long as the patient or the patient's legal guardian has authorized it.

There could be many different rules regarding the care and storage of medical records in your community. The right computer program can help you ensure that all of the rules are followed to the letter.

by: Tom Gruich

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