What Documents Does HIPAA Shredding Relate To?
A good rule of thumb: When in doubt about whether a document is covered by HIPAA shredding rules, assume it is. Every time a patient sees a doctor or is admitted to a hospital, gets a prescription filled or sends a claim to an insurance company, a piece of paperwork is generated. This paperwork features what’s called “individually identifiable health information,” — which is like gold to identity thieves. Thus, all of this information must be destroyed. How Must HIPAA Shredding Be Performed? Service providers are compelled by law to perform a “due diligence” search for a shredding services provider, meaning they must ensure that the shredder they hire is insured and has no pending complaints or lawsuits relating to employee dishonesty. They’re also required to give written permission to the shredding services provider to remove the sensitive materials from the premises.
