Getting Rid of Hard Copies

A question that comes up periodically is how should a medical practice dispose of the hard copies of files?

The answer isn’t rocket science, shredding is the only good answer. When you are ready to dispose of hard copies medical files, anything with a patient’s name on it should be shredded.
If you don’t have the staff available you don’t want to invest in an industrial-sized shredder, a good alternative would be to hire an outside shredding service that will either come to your offices and shred on site; or pick up your files, lock and store them in sealed containers and put them on a closed end truck that is locked.

Many of these companies will ask you to sign off on both the containers as well as the truck before they leave to get your documents shredded. It may seem like taking extra steps but it eliminates the horror stories that you may have heard about such as boxes of patient medical files falling off open pick up truck beds or boxes of files simply left by dumpsters.

If you don’t already have a shredding policy in your office, make sure to take the time to implement one and make every employee aware of it. You can further protect yourself by having your employees sign off that they understand the shredding policy and put that signed copy in their files.

View all Articles by: Kathryn Etienne, CCS-P