Dispose of Medical Records Properly or Face the Consequences

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure trove of personal medical information—and the failure of one walk-in clinic in North Carolina to realize that has the operation being investigated by state health officials. Discarded medical records were found in a dumpster outside the recently closed facility in Wilmington, along with hazardous materials such as hypodermic needles. Police declined to file charges, but the dumpster was hauled away and the matter is now in the hands of the state department of health and human services. While the legal consequences are yet to be seen, the story is a reminder that your obligation to protect patients’ private medical information, and to dispose of medical waste safely, is absolute and does not stop if you go out of business. Bear in mind that electronic storage of medical records warrants attention, as well. JUCM published a pair of articles that may be helpful in spelling out your obligations in this area. You can read HIPAA for Urgent Care Centers: A Primer and HIPAA-Compliant Disposal of Office Equipment Containing Personal Health Information in the JUCM archive.