A home health agency gives a student the intake sheet for a patient. The intake sheet includes the patient's name, address, telephone number, medical diagnoses, etc. After clinical , the student discards the intake sheet in her trash at home. This action is a violation of HIPAA policy ?
1 answer
Yes, this action is a violation of HIPAA policy. The student should have properly disposed of the intake sheet by shredding it or placing it in a secure disposal bin designated for protected health information. Discarding it in the trash at home can potentially expose the patient's private information to unauthorized individuals who may come into contact with the trash.