Tuesday, July 1, 2014

About Records Management And Record Retention

Concern records is a must or any argument.


One of the essentials of running an group is concern records. A commendable filing method allows you to asset any news you itch within a short interval of era and without even harass. While there is much a comprehensive vastness of earful activity stored in paper format, there are extremely colossal stores of facts growth kept electronically on account of database software, pc networking and, Sure, the Internet. How you disburse and store your records truly boils down to personal Election, on the other hand the important is to always be organised.


Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)


One of the aboriginal matters anyone should discern approximately managing and retaining records is the rules allot by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Circumstance of 1996 (HIPAA). This code governs the Proceeds of private health counsel, and protects any identifying ammo that might be in records, such as Social Security numbers, names, addresses and ring numbers. While HIPAA does not prevent an Director from viewing an Clerk's records, it does prevent an Director or corporation from releasing any confidence without categorical permission from the patient or client. Hence, papers or records with identifying names or numbers on them must be protected. Archives need as much attention as other records. Establish a time frame over which records are kept, and either throw away or shred any records after that time. Don't keep files that aren't designated a purpose, and make sure to protect any old records by locking them up and storing them where unauthorized people can't view them.



You need to preserve records in such a way that they can easily be found when you need them. Decide if you want to file records in alphabetical order, or if you want to file them by which department they fall under, or if you want to file them according to date. There are unlimited possibilities for maintain a filing system, but the important thing is that you can find what you're looking for fast.


Archives


A large percentage of records are from the past. These are known as archives, and they're kept for different reasons. You may want to track long-term planning, or you may use archives to view a snapshot of the quality of work over time. Lock up the file cabinet where these records are kept and shred files that contain identifying information when they are no longer needed.

Filing System

A vital aspect of record maintenance is having a clear, concise file system in place.


Electronic Databases


Records that are stored electronically are a little different than paper records. The principles are the same, but computers have made it more difficult over the years to protect files. One of the reasons for this is the inattention to discarding electronic information once it is no longer needed. While paper files take up space, electronic files do not and can easily be forgotten somewhere on your desktop. Extra attention must be paid to electronic files for this reason. HIPAA laws and file organization are just as important for electronic databases and records.