Nursing

To lock or not to lock: HIPAA case scenario

Staff Development Weekly: Insight on Evidence-Based Practice in Education, March 10, 2006

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After treating a patient, you place her chart in an unlocked chartholder outside the exam room.

Is this a violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996's (HIPAA) privacy rule?

No. The privacy regulations don't require healthcare organizations to use locking chartholders to safeguard patients' privacy. However, it's a good idea to keep charts either covered or turned around in the chart holders so patient names are not easily seen.

Editor's note: The above excerpt is from the online course, "HIPAA Series: Privacy & Security for the Nursing/Clinical Staff." For more information on this and other courses in our library, go to www.hcprofessor.com.



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