HIPAA Best Practices Library
Best
Practice Signs
Protecting
PHI From Public Viewing
Preventing
Conversations About PHI From Being Overheard
Proper
Storage and Disposal of Items Containing PHI
Safeguarding Computer
Workstations and Portable Devices That Contain PHI
Faxing PHI
Third Party
Communications (Verbal and Written)

Protecting PHI
Against Public Viewing
Confidential Coversheet - Use
to protect documents containing PHI from being
seen by
unauthorized individuals in areas such as registration desks and
nurses'
stations. Some UCMC locations have
chosen to print the sign on
colored
paper
and in some locations the sign has been
laminated.
Back To The Rack Label -
Place
label on patient charts that are maintained in
the inpatient units to
remind staff not to leave charts in areas accessible by
patients and/or
visitors. (e.g. outside patient's room) Labels should be
pink
to
maintain uniformity throughout the inpatient units
and used
in conjunction with
the
Back
To
The Rack Sign.
Back To The Rack(v1)
and
Back To The Rack (v2)
Place sign in areas where charts are
used in the inpatient units to remind staff
not to leave charts in areas accessible by
patients and/or visitors. (e.g. outside
patient's room) Signs should be printed on
pink paper
(see sample) to maintain
uniformity throughout the inpatient units and used
in conjunction with the
Back
To The
Rack Labels.
Door Closed Reminder (v1)
and
Door Closed Reminder (v2)
- Use
to remind staff,
during normal business hours, to keep
the doors closed
to rooms containing PHI
e.g. medical record storage room,
physician
workroom) when UCMC staff are not
in the room.
Faculty and Staff Only Reminder -
Use
to protect documents containing
PHI from being seen or accessed by
unauthorized individuals in areas such as
physician and/or staff work rooms.
Some UCMC locations have
chosen to print
the sign on
colored
paper and in some locations the sign has been
laminated.

Preventing
Conversations About PHI From Being Overheard
Exam Room Door
Reminder (v1) and
Exam Room Door
Reminder (v2) - Use to
remind staff to keep the doors closed to
exam rooms when speaking with a
patient.
Quiet Zone -
Use
to remind staff to lower their voices when discussing patient
information outside exam rooms.
Speaking In the
Presence of A Patient's Guest - Use to remind staff to ask a
patient if it is okay to speak in the presence
of a guest while in an exam or
inpatient room.
Speaking
In the Presence of Guests (v1)
Speaking
In the
Presence of Guests (v2)
Speaking
In the Presence of Guests (v1.1)
Speaking
In the Presence of Guests (v2.1)
Proper
Storage and Disposal of Items Containing PHI
PHI
Disposal
Reminder #1 - Use to remind staff to properly dispose items
containing PHI to prevent access by
unauthorized
individuals.
PHI
Disposal
Reminder #2 - Use to remind staff to properly dispose items
containing PHI to prevent access by
unauthorized
individuals.
Safeguarding Computer Workstations and
Portable Devices That Contain PHI
"Remember
to Log-Off" Label - Use
these labels to remind faculty and staff to
log-off their computers when finished
with their
session. This helps protect our
patients' privacy and information security.
Place a label on the computer
monitor to stress the importance of this privacy
principal and behavior. Contact
the HIPAA Program Office if you need
assistance. The labels that should be used
when printing are:
Avery White Permanent Durable I.D.
Labels
Product #6577
5/8' x 3".
Faxing PHI
Fax Coversheet - Use any time a fax
is sent inside or outside the UCMC
institution. It
contains the HIPAA Program Office approved disclaimer alerting the
recipient that the fax contains confidential
information and that
he/she should
notify the
sender if the fax was received in error.
Third
Party Communication (Verbal and Written)
Beware of Social
Engineers - Use to remind staff to verify the identity and
authority of individuals before
disclosing PHI.