HIPAA Security Reminder of the Week

Transporting Medical Records

Occasionally, medical and other sensitive records must be transported from one location to another, such as when moving to a new office, closing a location, etc. Appropriate steps must be taken to safeguard these records, whether electronic or paper. Medical records should never be taken from secure medical records areas without proper authorization!

Records moving between facilities must be properly secured and never left alone in vehicles! To ensure adequate security and to protect records against weather, light, pollution and other dangers, vehicles must be:

• covered
• locked
• attended at all times; and,
• Not used for transporting other materials, such as chemicals, that may cause risks to records.

An administrator should supervise all aspects of the move to ensure that the movers are aware of exactly what needs to be transported and proper, secure handling of sensitive records at all times while in transit.