How to Handle Medical Referral Data

Your patient sits atop an examination table covered only by a thin paper sheet while someone asks questions about symptoms and complaints. Fingers fly over the computer keyboard and when the intake process is complete, the physician's assistant saves the data and then forwards it to a specialist for another opinion. As a health care professional, you know that the responsibility of transmitting sensitive data has become a major source of concern, which is why you'll want to consider tips in this article to help protect your patients and your reputation.

Things You'll Need

• Computer system
• Encryption programs
• Copy of the Privacy Act of 1974
• Security software programs
• Secure backup system
• Employee vetting system
• Commercial shredding service

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Instructions

• 1

  Understand---and make certain everyone coming into contact with patient referral information understands---the language contained in the Privacy Act of 1974, which outlines and describes the limits and parameters of medical information disclosure and the limitations imposed on communications under this law.

• 2

  Purchase a computer system for inter- and intra-office communications that's compatible with the latest security-based software. Be respectful of the complex inner workings of computer networks and the dangers that can result from medical referral data getting into the hands of unauthorized recipients.

• 3

  Have your information technology (IT) department build a series of password-protected protocols into your system and recommend a rotating schedule of password change dates to refresh and replace those in use for a time. Request the installation of firewalls as a measure of protection so referral records can't be accessed by hackers or destroyed by viruses. Install an encryption program to disguise referral data generated by your office so it can't be understood by anyone outside the office circle.

• 4

  Store a complete and updated library of all referral communications in a secure backup system that is off site and accessible only to the highest "need to know" authorities. Add a measure of security by using a coding system that identifies patient referral files by unique numbers that don't match those attached to originating office files.

• 5

  Implement a policy that requires personnel to shred patient-sensitive documents once information is digitally saved. Hire a data collection service to remove and incinerate all handwritten documents containing private information printed on paper, including computer printouts, faxes and handwritten patient referral documents.

• 6

  Request background checks for staffers privy to patient referral data. Hold personnel responsible for Privacy Act-related document sharing. Advise them of the dangers that mishandling such documents can lead to, such as loss of revenue streams, fines and sanctions that can threaten both medical licenses and reputations.

• 7

  Add a clinical systems engineer to your staff and give him oversight on policy, integration, deployment and coding of interconnected medical systems. Mandate vulnerability analyses and ongoing checks and balances so referral data is safeguarded from the moment it's collected until the moment you hand it off to another medical source.