The HIPAA Hippo is coming to eat you.

[Crescent Cat]

Recently the recycling enclave I coach for has expanded to accept newspapers and magazines in the bins. They specify newspapers and magazines for one specific reason.

HIPAA

The hospital staff more often than not wants to recycle all of their papers. This may not be an issue were it not for the fact that some of the papers have, you know, patient names, DOBs, vitals, chief complaints, ect on them. Lately I've been noticing a lot of patient information winding up in the recycling bin. When this happens I try to find out which recycling bin it came from then return the paper to the nearest nursing station to let them know. Most of the time the nurse there will thank me for bringing it to their attention and put it in the shredder, but seriously people, you should know better. I can't catch all of the patient files that slip through and frankly it's not my job to either. It's your job. I'm only doing it as a courtesy. It's such an easy concept but it's frightening to think how little people care about it.

[42_42_42]

Back when I worked for a company that handled sensitive client info (had to comply with government regs, but in this case ERISA not HIPAA), any paper with any kind of info on it was put into these bins that had really small slots, just big enough to slide an 8x11 sheet of paper, maybe 10 or so stacked into. These bins were locked and a paper shredding company came and picked them up. Once shredded, the paper was then recycled.

Very likely shredded paper where you work is also being recycled, just not through the standard blue recycling bins. If this is indeed the case, maybe a memo to let everyone know that would help.

[PepperElf]

Back when I worked for a company that handled sensitive client info (had to comply with government regs, but in this case ERISA not HIPAA), any paper with any kind of info on it was put into these bins that had really small slots, just big enough to slide an 8x11 sheet of paper, maybe 10 or so stacked into. These bins were locked and a paper shredding company came and picked them up. Once shredded, the paper was then recycled.

Very likely shredded paper where you work is also being recycled, just not through the standard blue recycling bins. If this is indeed the case, maybe a memo to let everyone know that would help.

we had that at my last job. "confidential recycling"

[Crossbow]

Back when I worked for a company that handled sensitive client info (had to comply with government regs, but in this case ERISA not HIPAA), any paper with any kind of info on it was put into these bins that had really small slots, just big enough to slide an 8x11 sheet of paper, maybe 10 or so stacked into. These bins were locked and a paper shredding company came and picked them up. Once shredded, the paper was then recycled.

Very likely shredded paper where you work is also being recycled, just not through the standard blue recycling bins. If this is indeed the case, maybe a memo to let everyone know that would help.

Same here. Payroll information had to be shredded regularly.

[auntiem]

Wow, at the last place I worked if you violated HIPAA three times you were out - each piece of paper like that was a violation. The confidental recycle bins were in the same room as the recycle bin so it wasn't too hard to do it correctly.

[Crescent Cat]

Back when I worked for a company that handled sensitive client info (had to comply with government regs, but in this case ERISA not HIPAA), any paper with any kind of info on it was put into these bins that had really small slots, just big enough to slide an 8x11 sheet of paper, maybe 10 or so stacked into. These bins were locked and a paper shredding company came and picked them up. Once shredded, the paper was then recycled.

Very likely shredded paper where you work is also being recycled, just not through the standard blue recycling bins. If this is indeed the case, maybe a memo to let everyone know that would help.

They do have those shred bins behind the nurses stations. I wouldn't be surprised if they were recycled, but the problem is that the crucial step of shredding is being skipped here.

[PepperElf]

They do have those shred bins behind the nurses stations. I wouldn't be surprised if they were recycled, but the problem is that the crucial step of shredding is being skipped here.

ah the bins used where i worked, and where i suppose antiem worked, were both combined. they were locked so no one could get into them except the contractors hired to shred/recycle the paperwork.

kinda like killing 2 birds with one stone.

[boringscreenname]

Back when I worked for a company that handled sensitive client info (had to comply with government regs, but in this case ERISA not HIPAA), any paper with any kind of info on it was put into these bins that had really small slots, just big enough to slide an 8x11 sheet of paper, maybe 10 or so stacked into. These bins were locked and a paper shredding company came and picked them up. Once shredded, the paper was then recycled.

Very likely shredded paper where you work is also being recycled, just not through the standard blue recycling bins. If this is indeed the case, maybe a memo to let everyone know that would help.

We have the same type of bins at my work, we call them gray bins. An employee can retrieve a paper from it if they threw it in by mistake, but we have to go and unlock it for them, and watch them the entire time they're getting the paper out.

Then we have to write a report as to who requested it be opened, what time the request was made, what time the bin was unlocked etc...

[Sapphire Silk]

Sounds like laziness to me. We have the shred bins and recycling bins. The bins are primarily for bottles and cans.

Putting confidential papers in those bins or regular cans gets you a verbal warning, written warning, or fired.