Q&A: Disposing of paper documents

Q. If paper documents that contain PHI are shredded, is it acceptable for an organization to dispose of them in a dumpster? If not, should we hire a business associate (BA) to dispose of papers that contain protected health information (PHI)?

A. If documents containing PHI are shredded finely enough that no patient-identifiable information can be read, they may be disposed of in a dumpster or recycling bin.

Editor's note: This question was answered by Mary D. Brandt, MBA, RHIA, CHE, CHPS. Brandt is a healthcare consultant specializing in healthcare regulatory compliance and operations improvement.This information does not constitute legal advice. Consult legal counsel for answers to specific privacy and security questions. Opinions expressed are those of the author and do not represent HCPro or ACDIS. Email your HIPAA questions to Editor Nicole Votta at nvotta@hcpro.com.