How to Manage Medical Paper Filing Systems

Individual medical files are maintained for every patient that a doctor sees. A medical record is where patient health information is stored, such as medical history, medical notes and prescription medication lists. Managing a medical paper filing system is a delicate process that involves specific procedures to be followed. Otherwise, one patient's information could end up in another patient's chart. HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, is a federal act that oversees how patient health information is stored and secured within a health care organization. Accordingly, the policies and procedures you establish for managing paper filing systems must be in line with HIPAA rules.

Things You'll Need

• In-box folder
• Sign-out sheet

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Instructions

• 1

  Set up an in-box folder for new medical paper documents that need to be filed. Divide the in-box into categories, such as "patient assessments," "progress notes" and "lab work." Inform the clinicians in your health care office to utilize the in-box and sort the paper files correctly.

• 2

  Collect the contents of the in-box at least twice a day, or as often as you can. Bring the paper files back to the filing area or the medical records room.

• 3

  Sort the new paper files into alphabetical order for easily filing. Many times, if a doctor sees a new patient, there will be a variety of paper documents on that patient for you to file. Put all of a patient's documents together in a stack and continue to alphabetize. Hole-punch the documents so they are ready to be filed.

• 4

  File the medical documents in the correct chart. Put the files in the correct section of the chart, since medical charts contain various sections for different types of documents. Pay attention to this process so that you do not accidentally file the lab work slips in the patient billing section of the chart.

• 5

  Put the medical charts back in the exact spot where you found them when you have filed all the paperwork. Medical records are usually maintaining in alphabetical order by last name.

• 6

  Conduct routine quality audits to ensure that medical paper files are being filed properly. The charge nurse or quality management manager of your health care organization may be responsible for performing audits. She will do a spot check to see whether or not any documents are misfiled out of a random selection or sample. Misfiled medical charts will be given back to the filing staff to be corrected.

• 7

  Keep a sign-out sheet in the medical chart room. Instruct people to sign out a medical chart whenever they leave the room with it. This helps filing staff keep track of where the health records are, which is important for HIPAA compliance.

• 8

  Never allow non-employees to see medical paper files. Filing activities must be performed in a private area so that patients do not see other patients' health care information -- which is a HIPAA violation that can cost your organization a lot of money in federal penalties.