Do shadow files need to be locked up at night?
Yes. Shadow records maintained in clinics should be treated the same as the official medical records, in that they are maintained in a secure location. In addition, other patient information not necessarily contained in the shadow file should be placed in folders, put in drawers, overhead flippers, etc., when not in use. Any documents containing protected health information should not be left where others may inappropriately review or use such documents. Question: Is it permissible to allow a patient to hand-carry their chart from one clinic visit to another when the time between appointments does not allow the second clinic to request and receive the medical record via the normal process? Answer: Health system P&P 2381 Request for Release of Medical Records states “HBCs may have the patient hand carry his/her original records when multiple appointments necessitate the immediate transfer of the records to another HBC. Special, marked, confidential envelopes are designated for use in th
Yes. Shadow records maintained in clinics should be treated the same as the official medical records, in that they are maintained in a secure location. In addition, other patient information not necessarily contained in the shadow file should be placed in folders, put in drawers, overhead flippers, etc., when not in use. Any documents containing protected health information should not be left where others may inappropriately review or use such documents. Question: Is it permissible to allow a patient to hand-carry their chart from one clinic visit to another when the time between appointments does not allow the second clinic to request and receive the medical record via the normal process? Answer: Health system P&P 2381 Request for Release of Medical Records states “HBCs may have the patient hand carry his/her original records when multiple appointments necessitate the immediate transfer of the records to another HBC. Special, marked, confidential envelopes are designated for use in th
