Records Management - Employee Health Records
The employee health records management system has been designed to:
- Ensure employee confidentiality by restricting access and transmission and retaining 'sensitive' medical information in a secure environment
- Monitor infectious/chronic diseases
- Assess and monitor risk exposure
- Provide pertinent medical information to employees
- Provide pertinent trends analysis information to Walsh & Associates
Employee health records will be kept up-to-date and accurate.
Employee health records will be retained in accordance to legislation for 40 years from time of first entry or 20 years from time of last entry.
Sensitive medical information' is defined as physical, psychological and social health information which is employee specific whereby the employee's identity is recognizable, and release of details could / would cause the employee embarrassment, mental anguish, personal discomfort or cause to seek legal recompense. i.e. medical diagnosis, test results, referrals to outside agencies, etc.
The employee health records storage system is located in a secured environment in the Health Services Department.
When the RN/OHN is not in attendance, for any reason, the office will be secured by locking the door. In addition, confidential information will also be placed in locked cabinet.
Hard copies of any employee health records are filed in personalized individual folders kept within a lockable cabinet in the Health Services Department.
Computer storage of employee medical information, whether of a sensitive nature or not, is inputted into a company secured server with the use of a personal password.
All documents of a sensitive nature to be transmitted are to be clearly marked 'confidential'.
Printing of sensitive employee medical information will not be permitted unless printed on a printer to be used exclusively by the RN/OHN, within the secured health services department, if at all possible.
Photocopying of all sensitive medical information will not be permitted unless copied on a copier to be used exclusively by the RN/OHN, within the secured health services department, if at all possible.
Every precaution is to be taken to ensure that the material being photocopied is not exposed to others who may be in the area.
Precaution should be taken when faxing sensitive medical information by adhering to the following steps:
- Ensure fax number used is correct and current
- Ensure a confidentiality warning is on fax cover sheet requesting verification back to the RN/OHN that it has been destroyed if misdirected
- Make a reasonable effort to ensure that the fax will be retrieved immediately by the intended recipient on a secure and confidential fax system
Receipt and sending of sensitive employee medical information will not be permitted unless faxed on the fax machine to be used exclusively by the RN/OHN, within the secured health services department, if at all possible.
Every precaution is to be taken to ensure that the material being faxed is not exposed to others who may be in the area.