Disposal & Destruction of PHI

What is our obligation to protect PHI after the information is no longer needed to perform a specific job function?

As health care professionals it is our responsibility to properly dispose of confidential waste so that confidential information does not get into the wrong hands. Shred paper or non-paper items that contain PHI and are no longer needed. Use one of these methods:

• Use your department shredder, or
• Place paper and non-paper items containing confidential information in blue bins or other approved confidential containers, e.g. patient records, pap cards, monitoring strips, financial documents, business correspondence, addressograph cards, patient ID bands, patient labels, photographs, plastic bottles/bags, excluding IV bags

Paper/non-paper placed in blue bins or other approved confidential containers will be shredded by an outside vendor.

What about electronic media that contains confidential information?

Deliver your electronic media, such as audio/video tapes, computer disks, electronic devices such as computers, laptops, iPads, etc to: Data Center Operations, MC B-737. Coordination for electronic media disposal must be done through the Information Services (HS) Department.

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