When considering medical record review, many focus only on speed and price. However, something more important than this, which is compliance. You or your third-party vendor handle sensitive personal health information (PHI), and any negligence could land you in legal trouble.
So how do you know if your vendor is really compliant?
Ask these questions to your medical record review vendor. Their answers will tell you whether they are compliant and what action you should take.
1. How do you protect patient data?
Start from the basics. A reliable vendor should have strong data security measures in place. They will use proper data maintenance measures such as, encrypted files, secured file-sharing methods, strict access controls, and routine data security audits. If they are emailing the completed medical chart reviews using unprotected or public links, it is a sign that your data is at risk.
Ask them: How do you ensure secure data transfer and storage?
2. Are your team members trained in HIPAA and data privacy?
Even the best security systems can fail if the people using them are careless. Your vendor’s staff must be trained in HIPAA guidelines and know how to handle personal health data responsibly. Ask for proof of training or certificates.
Ask them: Do your employees undergo HIPAA training? How often?
3. Do you sign Business Associate Agreements (BAAs)?
Signing a BAA is compulsory if your vendor is handling PHI. The BAA outlines responsibilities and ensures both parties are accountable. If they hesitate to provide one, it is time for you to walk out.
Ask them: Can you share a sample of your BAA?
4. What is your access control policy?
Personal records should not be made available to all the people in the vendor’s company. A compliant vendor limits access only to those who need to perform the task. This is a must to ensure data security.
Ask them: Who on your team has access to the records and how is access controlled?
5. What’s your data retention and disposal policy?
You have to ensure what happens your data once the medical record review is over. A compliant vendor should not keep your data forever. They must have a clear timeline for securely deleting and a proper method for doing so.
Ask them: How long do you retail client data, and how is it destroyed?
6. Have you had any data breaches or violations?
Though an uncomfortable question for your vendor, you have to ask this to ensure your vendor’s compliance. If there was any data breaches in the past, it is a sign that you have to be cautious. A good vendor will be open about past mistakes and what they have done to fix them.
Ask them: Have you ever experienced a data breach? What corrective measures did you take?
In a nutshell- compliance is non-negotiable
your record review vendor is not just a service provider. They are your partner in handling highly sensitive data. A single oversight could cost your firm its reputation or even trigger legal action.
Therefore, do not settle for evasive answers. Ask these questions to ensure your medical record review service vendor checks off all the compliance boxes before you hand over that first file.
