When medical practices transition from paper to electronic medical records, they need to digitize files that contain sensitive patient health information. In many cases, a professional scanning company like SecureScan is brought in to handle that process.
Healthcare providers and the vendors they work with share responsibility for protecting patient privacy. That said, the responsibility ultimately rests with the provider to ensure records are handled in a way that meets HIPAA’s standards.
Most people working in healthcare already have a pretty good understanding of HIPAA. What they may be less familiar with is how to properly evaluate a document scanning provider to determine whether or not their processes are fully compliant.
In this article, we’ll highlight a few areas worth paying close attention to when choosing an outside vendor to scan medical records. It covers the internal policies, physical protections, and technical steps that ensure your sensitive records are protected every step of the way.
1. Policies That Set the Foundation
The administrative side of a scanning project may not get much attention, but it sets the tone for how the entire project is managed. This includes written policies, staff training, and the internal procedures a provider follows when handling sensitive health information.
Understanding the practices that take place behind the scenes can go a long way toward building confidence in a scanning partner. Clear policies and consistent training show that HIPAA requirements are taken seriously and applied in a structured, repeatable way. When these elements are in place, records are handled with care at every stage of the scanning process, rather than relying on assumptions or informal practices.
Staff Training and Experience
Anyone involved in the process of scanning medical records should be HIPAA certified and trained in the proper handling of medical records. This training helps ensure that staff understand HIPAA requirements, follow established procedures for managing sensitive information, and apply those practices consistently throughout each project.
Experience also plays an important role. Teams who regularly work on healthcare scanning projects are already familiar with the level of care these records demand. That experience helps reduce missteps, supports smoother handling from start to finish, and reinforces a culture of accountability around patient information.
How Instructions and Project Details Are Documented
Proper documentation plays an important role in keeping a scanning project on track. There are often hundreds of small details that affect how scanned records are organized and delivered, from the structure of the files to how sections are labeled and indexed.
Your scanning provider should take the time to clearly document your instructions, confirm important details, and make that information accessible to the team completing the work. This keeps everyone aligned with your goals and ensures the final digital files support how your practice accesses and uses records each day.
What To Expect in Your Agreement With a Scanning Provider
Before scanning begins, you will likely have a written agreement in place that explains how your records will be handled throughout the project. This document gives you a full view of what the provider is responsible for, the security steps they follow, and how they’ll protect your information throughout the project. It should also reaffirm how your files will be stored, who will have access to them, and the steps the provider will take if something unexpected occurs. Reviewing this agreement carefully helps you understand what to expect and gives you confidence that the provider has a well-defined process in place.
2. The Physical Protections You Should See
The physical environment where records are scanned plays an important role in keeping information secure. How a provider controls access to records, stores incoming materials, and organizes their workspace offers insight into the level of care applied throughout the project.
Controlled Access to the Facility
A scanning provider should limit access to areas where records are stored and scanned. This may include locked or monitored entry points, restricted access to scanning rooms, and basic sign-in procedures for anyone who needs to be onsite. These measures help ensure that only trained staff handle records and that sensitive information is not exposed to unauthorized individuals.
How Records Are Stored Before and After Scanning
Records should be stored in secure, clearly designated areas with access limited to trained staff. They should not be left in open workspaces or stored alongside unrelated projects. Maintaining clear organization and separation helps prevent mix-ups, protects sensitive information, and ensures records remain accounted for throughout the scanning process.
Keeping Records Secure During Scanning
During scanning, records should be handled in a consistent and organized way. Related documents need to stay together, files should not be left unattended, and each batch should be returned to its designated storage area when work for the day is complete. This level of structure helps protect sensitive information and ensures records remain accounted for throughout the scanning process.
3. Keeping Your Digital Files Secure Once Scanning Is Complete
After records are scanned, digital files need to be stored and delivered in a secure manner. This stage of the process protects sensitive information as it moves from the scanning environment to its final destination. Understanding how a provider manages file storage and delivery offers insight into how seriously they take the security of your records beyond the scanning floor.
Encryption for File Storage and Delivery
Any provider working with medical records should use encryption when storing or transferring digital files. Encryption adds an important layer of protection by preventing unauthorized access to sensitive information. Since encryption is widely used across healthcare environments, a scanning provider should already have these protections in place as part of their standard process.
How Files Are Shared With Your Team
Most scanning companies use secure file transfer methods, encrypted hard drives, or other controlled delivery options to provide access to digital files. It’s important that records do not pass through unsecured channels or end up in inboxes where they can be easily forwarded or misplaced. Asking how files will be delivered helps clarify the level of care taken to protect your data after scanning is completed.
4. A Properly Documented Chain of Custody
A well-documented chain of custody is one of the clearest indicators that a scanning provider takes record handling seriously. It shows that records are tracked and accounted for from the moment they are picked up through final delivery of the digital files. This documentation captures each point of contact, helps prevent mix-ups, and provides reassurance that records are managed carefully at every stage of the process.
Tracking Records From Pickup to Arrival
Your provider should document when and where the records were picked up, who handled them, and how they were transported. Even a simple tracking process makes it easier to confirm that the boxes you sent are the boxes that arrive at the scanning facility.
Keeping Records Organized Throughout the Project
Once records arrive at the facility, they should be clearly labeled and kept separate from other projects. This helps ensure files remain in the correct order, within the appropriate boxes and batches, throughout the scanning process.
Documenting Each Step Until Final Delivery
The chain of custody should extend through the return or secure destruction of physical records and the delivery of digital files. Providers who maintain this documentation can clearly show how records were handled at every stage, providing added confidence in the overall process.
SecureScan is a HIPAA Compliant Scanning Provider You Can Trust
At SecureScan, we have spent more than 22 years helping healthcare providers move from paper to digital records, and that experience shapes our approach to every project. Our employees complete HIPAA training, maintain relevant certifications, and follow a clearly defined process designed to protect sensitive information from the moment records arrive through final delivery of digital files.
Throughout the project, records are kept in restricted, monitored environments with controlled entry, secure storage areas, and continuous camera coverage. Access is limited to trained staff, and each handling point is documented to maintain a consistent chain of custody from start to finish.
Once scanning is complete, digital files are delivered through secure methods that protect patient information while still allowing teams to access what they need without friction.
For practices preparing for a scanning project or looking for a clearer picture of how healthcare records are managed, we can help you move forward with confidence. Contact us for more information or get a free quote for your next scanning project from one of our technicians to get started!
