Counseling centers on college campuses generate thousands of records every semester, many of which contain sensitive personal information. Keeping these records organized and secure is a responsibility that should not be taken lightly.
Privacy laws and regulations add yet another layer of complexity to the process. While some records are protected under FERPA (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), other health or medical-related information may fall under HIPAA. These laws often overlap, and knowing where and when they apply is important, not only for compliance, but also for student privacy.
Yet despite the high stakes, many counseling centers rely on paper recordkeeping. That means every task, whether it’s filing, updating, or retrieving documents, needs to be done manually. It’s a slow process, prone to errors, and can make it difficult for counselors to access information quickly when they need it.
The good news is that many of these problems can be solved by partnering with a professional scanning service like SecureScan. By digitizing these records, universities can simplify management, strengthen data security, and give staff faster, more reliable access to the information they need to provide students with the support they deserve.
What Makes Managing These Records Difficult?
Protecting student records is always important, but the files created in a university’s counseling center carry an added weight. Consent forms, counseling notes, and medical assessments contain deeply personal details, much of which is considered PII and PHI protected by law. Because every file varies in length, format, and sensitivity, it can be difficult to apply one standard practice across the board, making these records harder to manage.
With so many files created in such a short period of time, and the careful attention each one requires, staff can find it difficult to keep up. That pressure can lead to filing mistakes or incomplete records, and even a single missing note can create challenges later, particularly if a student changes counselors or needs information shared with an outside provider.
Staff and student turnover is a normal part of university life, but it adds extra complexity to managing records. As people come and go, handing off paper files is rarely seamless. Differences in filing habits and recordkeeping practices make it difficult for new staff to maintain consistency and continue providing support for students.
Then there are the legal requirements. Tracking and enforcing a record retention policy is much harder when files are scattered across multiple cabinets and folders. On top of that, properly disposing of outdated records means manually locating and shredding them, a process that is both time-consuming and difficult to manage. All of these factors increase the risk of mistakes that affect both the counseling center and the students who rely on its services.
Understanding Compliance in Counseling Records
Universities are responsible for protecting any and all information they receive from their students, and the rules around it are very strict. Between FERPA (which applies to education records) and HIPAA (which applies to certain health records), staff are often left to determine which rules apply in each situation, and that puts a lot of weight on their shoulders.
Paper records make compliance more difficult than it needs to be. It’s nearly impossible to track who has accessed a file, when it was last updated, or whether it should be archived or securely destroyed. This lack of visibility adds risk and makes compliance audits far more stressful.
Digitizing records in line with HIPAA and FERPA requirements brings much-needed clarity and control. With secure digital storage, clear access permissions, and automated retention schedules, counseling centers can stay compliant , and focus on supporting their students rather than administrative requirements.
How Scanning Makes Records Management Easier
Universities face unique challenges when it comes to managing records, but having the right partner can make all the difference. At SecureScan, we’ve spent more than 22 years helping colleges and universities as the leading provider of educational records scanning services, transforming paper records into secure, digital recordkeeping systems. Our team manages the entire process, from pickup to scanning, indexing, and secure digital delivery, so your staff can focus on supporting students instead of sorting through paperwork.
Because we specialize in HIPAA-compliant scanning, you can trust that sensitive student information is handled with the care it deserves. Every record is processed by trained professionals and stored securely, giving you confidence that both FERPA and HIPAA requirements are being met.
If you’re ready to simplify record management and improve access to important information, we’d love to help. Contact SecureScan today to learn more, or get a free scanning quote from one of our technicians.