Guessing about PHI (Patient Health Information) removal could cost your hospital millions in potential fines. A breach involving the release of protected health information can also damage a hospital’s reputation. Guessing or hoping is not the same as knowing, and in the case of making sure PHI is removed from medical and IT equipment before it leaves your facility, hope is not a good strategy to protect your hospital.
Establish a policy that requires a hospital employee to verify and sign off that all PHI has been removed from equipment before it leaves your facility. Inspecting all equipment and documenting PHI removal is a simple precaution that can pay big dividends.
A PHI breach can be a costly expense for your hospital. When trading-in, selling, donating or even just sending equipment out for repair, make sure to verify and document that equipment is free of patient data before it leaves. This simple precaution can help eliminate the risk of an inadvertent release of patient data, and save your hospital the time, headache and potential cost of managing a breach.