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Does Your Healthcare Practice Need an Information Manager Agreement For Your Shredding Service?

Posted on April 1, 2019 by Jean Eaton in Blog

Q: We are selecting a vendor to look after our shredding. Do we need an information management agreement (IMA)?

A: Yes, you need an information manager agreement (IMA) with your shredding vendor.

Think about all the health information that you have authorized them to manage on your behalf. You certainly want to select a reputable vendor who will pick up the paper and securely transport it to their facility for secure shredding.

The Health Information Act (HIA) allows custodians to contract with other health service providers and vendors for the purposes of providing information management or information technology services, like shredding. This requires the custodian to give the vendor access to the papers with health information so that the vendor can  securely destroy the paper.

The shredding vendor is known under the HIA as an information manager.

The custodian must ensure that the vendor has reasonable safeguards in place to protect the sensitive health information. The custodians must also ensure that there is a written agreement between the custodian and the information manager. These agreements are known as “Information Manager Agreements.” This requirement is stated in the HIA section 66(2).

There are many reputable vendors from which to choose

Some vendors will do the shredding right in your parking lot; others will transport it to their processing facility.

Remember to ask for a certificate of destruction at the completion of the shredding to document the secure destruction of the paper. Some vendors require a witness from the clinic to confirm that the shredding was done securely.

Some vendors can offer a recycling program for the paper after it has been securely shredded.

Ask your shredding vendor for an IMA. This is different than a service agreement where you agree to pay a fee for the shredding service. 

For more information on what is an IMA, see the e-book, Top 3 Agreements Your Healthcare Practice MUST Have (and Why). 

Top 3 Agreements

health, healthcare, information management agreement, information manager agreement, shredding

Tip#1 How To Easily Add Security to Your Healthcare Practice

Posted on March 16, 2016 by Jean Eaton in Blog

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has released an article, “10 security tips from the FTC on how to protect consumer data”.

Let's take a look at each of the ten tips and see how it can apply to your healthcare practice.

Tip#1 Start with Security

Set a policy in your practice to consider security before you buy anything.

For example – if you need a USB device – consider buying the model that automatically encrypts and requires a password to access the files. It may cost just a few dollars more, but isn't that money well spent on security?

I find that people will do the right thing – when it is easy for them to do so. This certainly applies to shredding machines. When you buy the right sized, business shredding machine that works quickly, quietly without jamming or making a mess – people will use the shredding machine. Tax season is a great time to take advantage of the many sales on shredding machines. Is it time for you to super-size your shredding?

What other examples of security practices can you easily implement in your business?

Read the full article from the FTC here.

Follow this blog for the next article in this series.

Security in Healthcare; health care; medical, shredding, USB drive

What is the elephant in the room?

The Elephant in the Room Find out here...

 

Privacy Policy

 

I have used Corridor's Privacy Awareness in Healthcare: Essentials online training program. The course has helped satisfy the training requirements of the Health Information Act. Staff go through the course at their own pace while we monitor to ensure completion.

- Luke Brimmage, Executive Director, Aspen Primary Care Network

Register for Free On-line Privacy Breach Awareness Training!

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