Medical Records Shredding

Businesses that deal with medical information may find themselves in need of a company that provides medical records shredding. Medical records contain great amounts of personal and financial information. Businesses are required by law to store medical records of their patients for a number of years. This requirement varies from state to state. Once the time limit is reached, these medical offices are faced with the best way to dispose of these records. Shredding is the most effective method, but can be messy and require valuable employee time. Shredding companies offer services to provide on-site shredding services, ensuring your patients' records are secure.

Learn More About Our Medical Records Shredding Service

In the age of identity theft, medical records are especially at risk. These records contain vital information about medical conditions and treatments. They also contain financial information. It is possible for identity thieves to gain access to insurance information and receive medical treatment under stolen medical insurance. Patients assume a level of protection when a medical office handles their medical records. Through the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Congress ensures that handling of medical records is federally controlled. This law demands that medical offices employ professional shredding companies when destroying medical records is necessary.

Companies that provide medical records shredding provide medical offices with lockable bins in which to put the records that need to be destroyed. The shredding company will come on a regular basis to shred the documents. Most companies provide on-site shredding. These in-truck shredders are powerful and are able to destroy most information containing media. Computer discs that contain patient information also need to be destroyed in the same manner. These bins are taken to the secure area of the truck that houses the shredder. They are then destroyed. The company also presents the medical office with a certificate of destruction after they are done. The shredded material is then recycled.

Hiring a company to handle the shredding needs of medical offices is cost effective and secure. Most in-house office shredders shred at a very slow rate. It would take one person five hours to shred 50 pounds of paper on a small office shredder. The high power, high volume shredders that shredding companies have on their trucks could shred the same 50 pounds in 10 minutes. There is no messy clean-up when the shredding is outsources as well. Most companies allow personnel from the medical office to observe the shredding, ensuring that the process is done properly and securely.

When deciding on a company to hire for shredding services, it is important to check references. Find out what their employee screening process is and if they have to go through random drug testing. Determine what type of shredder they use; a cross-cut will make the documents into confetti that is impossible to re-assemble, spaghetti cutters cut into thin strips that can then be re-assembled. Choose a company that guarantees their service with insured employees.

Document shredding is a great way to protect against information and identity theft from printed documents. Medical records contain a wealth of personal information and needs to be destroyed properly. Hiring a company to provide medical records shredding services is an economical way for offices to conform to HIPAA guidelines, ensuring their patient's security.