Mary D. Brandt, MBA, RHIA, CHE, CHPS, a healthcare consultant specializing in healthcare regulatory compliance and operations improvement, answers when paper charts are safe to shred.
A version of this article was first published April 15, 2021, by HCPro's Revenue Cycle Advisor, a sibling publication to HealthLeaders.
Q: Is it safe to immediately shred charts that have been scanned into the electronic medical record system? Should we keep a paper backup?
A: Some organizations keep paper originals for a period of time (such as 90 days) after they have been scanned, but you are not required to do so. Paper originals should be kept until the scanned documents have undergone quality review to ensure they have been completely and legibly scanned.
Editor’s note: Mary D. Brandt, MBA, RHIA, CHE, CHPS is a healthcare consultant specializing in healthcare regulatory compliance and operations improvement. She is also an advisory board member for BOH. This information does not constitute legal advice. Consult legal counsel for answers to specific privacy and security questions. Opinions expressed are those of the author and do not represent HCPro or ACDIS.
Revenue Cycle Advisor combines all of HCPro's Medicare regulatory and reimbursement resources into one handy and easy-to-access portal. News is not just repeated from other sources. It is analyzed by our Medicare experts so professionals can comprehend any new rule and regulatory updates thoroughly. Learn more.