Medical Auditing Practice Exam

What is the recommended way to dispose of protected health information (PHI) that is no longer required?

1. Burn it in a safe manner

2. Discard it in a locked shredding receptacle

3. Recycle it with regular paper waste

4. Store it in a secure location indefinitely

The correct answer is: Discard it in a locked shredding receptacle

The recommended way to dispose of protected health information (PHI) that is no longer required emphasizes the importance of safeguarding sensitive data in compliance with regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Disposing of PHI in a locked shredding receptacle ensures that the information is effectively destroyed in a manner that prevents unauthorized access and maintains confidentiality. Using locked shredding receptacles is a widely accepted practice, as they are designed specifically for secure disposal and typically facilitate the regular collection and shredding of documents. This method fulfills legal and ethical responsibilities to protect individuals’ privacy and uphold the integrity of healthcare information systems. Other disposal methods, such as burning, might pose risks such as uncontrolled release of sensitive information or environmental concerns. Recycling regular paper waste lacks adequate security measures and could lead to exposure of PHI to the public. Storing PHI indefinitely is impractical and goes against principles of data minimization, which recommend that data should only be kept as long as necessary for its intended purpose.