Policy Manual sample

MDT Home Health Care Agency, Inc. RECORD RETENTION POLICIES CONFIDENTIALITY/RELEASE OF INFORMATION Administrative, financial, client (clinical) and personnel records are secured, retained and retrievable in accordance with a formal record retention policy. The clinical record is the exclusive property of The Agency and all policies regarding confidentiality, comply with HIPAA guidelines, release of information, and maintenance and retention of information shall apply. Our Agency shall comply that all minutes of all official meetings of the governing body are retained for a minimum of five (5) years. Record Retention Clinical records shall be maintained for five (5) years after termination (death/discharge), for all adults patients, minors clients records will be retained for a minimum of (5) five years after the age of majority is reached, Client records involved in litigation are retained until after settlement. Records will be stored in a secured, safeguarded storage facility to assure from loss or unauthorized use, following HIPAA regulations. Electronic PHI must be protected by password, encoding process, encryption, security backup maintained in secured protected area, under the responsibility of the Administrator or Designee. If the Agency ceases to operate or in the event of a disaster, records will be securely stored, in a safeguarded storage facility to assure from loss or unauthorized use, following HIPAA regulations, and the Administrator will notify the state Department of Public Health as to their whereabouts. Copies of clinical records and/or information therein utilized by staff during the time of services will be destroyed in a manner so as not to violate confidentiality. The state Department of Health will be informed in writing whenever patient's/client’s clinical records are defaced or destroyed before termination of the required retention period. If the Agency changes ownership, all clinical records shall remain in the Agency and it shall be the responsibility of the new owner to protect and maintain records. Proper notification of the change of ownership will be submitted to the state Department of Health. Personnel Records (Personnel files) shall be maintained for three (3) years following the employees termination from services. Records are confidential and are protected from damage and unauthorized use. Records of training in infection control, safety management and equipment use will be kept for a minimum of three (3) years or in accordance with state and/or federal regulations, whichever is longer. In accordance with OSHA regulations, records of bloodborne pathogen exposure occurrences and follow-up treatment will be kept for the entire length of the employee's employment plus thirty (30) years. Such records will be isolated from all other records to insure that they are kept for the required period. If the Agency closes, the Department of Health will be notified in writing of the reason for closure, the location of the client records and the name and address of the client record custodian. If the Agency closes with an active client roster, a copy of the active client record shall be transferred with the client to the receiving agency in order to assure continuity of care and services to the client. Confidentiality/Agency Use of Records/Authority to Make Entries All clinical records and the contents (including electronic records) thereof are confidential and will Home Health Agency Policies A-104