Fax Security and Privacy

PURPOSE

To protect the confidentiality and integrity of treatment information as required by law, professional ethics, and accreditation requirements.

APPLICATION

This policy applies to all staff, contractors, students, and volunteers of Dawn Farm.

POLICY

1. Because the need to provide timely transmission of confidential treatment information by facsimile rather than by a slower method, such as mail, Dawn Farm, its officers, and employees will send health information by facsimile when the original record or mail-delivered copies will not meet the needs of the consumer as described below or determined by President of Dawn Farm.
2. Personnel may transmit treatment records by facsimile when expediency is in the best interest of the consumer, when needed for continuity of consumer care or when required by a third-party payer.

EXHIBITS

Confidential Fax Statement

REFERENCES

Dawn Farm Sanctions for Breaches of Confidentiality Policy

PROCEDURES

1. All personnel must strictly observe the following standards relating to facsimile communications of consumer records:
2. Personnel will limit information transmitted to that necessary to meet the requester’s needs.
3. Except as authorized by law, a properly completed and signed authorization will be obtained before releasing consumer information (see Standard for Release of Patient Information).
4. The cover page accompanying the facsimile transmission will include:
   • a list of items faxed, which is retained in consumer record
   • a fax transmittal receipt or stamp
   • a confidentiality notice attached to this policy
5. Protected information will be faxed to a specific person rather than to an office number with no addressee noted.
6. Personnel will make reasonable efforts to ensure that they send the facsimile transmission to the correct destination. Personnel will preprogram frequently used numbers into the machine to prevent misdialing errors.
7. For a new recipient, the sender will verify the fax number before sending the facsimile and verify the recipient’s authority to receive confidential information. Fax machines will be in secure areas, and the Program Coordinator or designee is responsible for limiting access to them.
8. Each Dawn Farm program is responsible for ensuring that incoming faxes are properly handled, not left sitting on or near the machine. Faxes should be distributed to the proper recipient expeditiously while protecting confidentiality during distribution, as by enclosing the fax in an envelope.
9. Personnel must report any misdirected faxes to their immediate supervisor.
10. Supervisors will periodically or randomly direct a check of all speed-dial numbers to ensure their currency, validity, accuracy, and authorization to receive confidential information.
11. All staff is responsible for immediately reporting violations of this policy to their Program Coordinator or to the Privacy Officer (Project Manager) if corrections are not made in the program.

ENFORCEMENT

All supervisors are directly responsible for enforcing this policy. Employees who violate this policy are subject to discipline up to and including termination from employment.