SELECTSHRED | WHAT DOES THE RED FLAGS RULE MEAN TO YOU?

It seems that every day there is a report of another data security breach and the ongoing fight against identity theft continues. Unfortunately, some of the data breaches occur in our own companies and sometimes involve trusted employees. The Red Flags Rule requires businesses and organizations to implement a written identity program for detecting the “red flags” of identity theft.  The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces the Red Flags Rule with several other agencies.

On January 1, 2011, the FTC began enforcing its Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACTA) Red Flags Rule. It requires organizations that extend payment terms to customers to implement a written identity theft prevention program which identifies customer information that is vulnerable to unauthorized access; institutes precautions to address those identity theft vulnerabilities and train employees to comply with the precautions; alert the authorities or alert potential victims when a threat to identity theft is realized; have the program signed by the board or company owners annually; and require audits of data-related vendors with access to personal information. Follow this link for additional information: http://www.business.ftc.gov/documents/bus23-fighting-identity-theft-red-flags-rule-how-guide-business

The National Association for Information Destruction (NAID) plays an important role in encouraging its service provider members to help with customer’s Red Flags Rule compliance. A NAID AAA Certified company’s compliance with NAID standards ensures that you are compliant with the federal regulations that govern your industry such as FACTA, GLBA, and HIPAA.  A NAID AAA Certified company performs the due diligence that is required to make sure that when your company uses a shredding service, the personnel that handles your confidential information have undergone initial and random drug/substance abuse monitoring, initial and periodic criminal record searches, driver record reviews, employee training, access control, and other factors covered by NAID Certification. Follow this link to read more: https://www.proshred.com/selectshred/wp-content/themes/Liveset/pdf/313_NAID-RedFlags-brochure.pdf

Richard Kinkead, Owner/President

Gloria Kinkead, Owner/Vice President

SelectShred, Inc.

T: (772) 463-3166

info@selectshred.com

SELECTSHRED | SHREDDING FOR THE RIGHT REASONS – PORT ST. LUCIE SHREDDING FORT PIERCE SHREDDING INDIANTOWN SHREDDING

Shredding documents is sometimes seen as a suspicious activity. Any movie scene involving document shredding is always filled with suspicion or humor. However, routinely shredding confidential information is far from being suspicious or humorous. Routine shredding indicates systematic sound operations and a responsible corporate/business culture. Developing the routine of shredding with a third party vendor should be encouraged to prevent identity theft, comply with federal regulations, and to avoid fines. Most importantly, the protection of individual privacy and a company’s reputation are not in jeopardy when a secure document destruction program is in place. Follow this link for additional information on the importance of routine and complete shredding. http://usarmy.vo.llnwd.net/e2/c/downloads/328412.pdf

The National Association for Information Destruction (NAID) says that even when organizations shred for the right reasons, some practices may promote the appearance of impropriety, especially if a third party contractor is excluded from the process. NAID shares some ways to minimize any impression of wrongdoing: Shred on a regular schedule, use your shredding contractor for all of your shredding, treat all documents equally and shred everything. Have a destruction policy. NAID emphasizes that you should never let some records go in the trash while you shred other records. https://www.proshred.com/selectshred/wp-content/themes/Liveset/pdf/62_Shred_FATRR_flyer.pdf

When you shred, for the best security and protection, do the following:

• Use a NAID AAA Certified company.
• Ask if the documents are shredded at your location.
• Consider the qualifications and certifications of your document destruction company.
• Have a recurring shredding service for daily security of documents and to avoid sporadic shredding.
• Receive a certificate of destruction after each service. It is a legal document that proves you used a third party for the proper destruction and disposal of your confidential information.

Richard Kinkead, Owner/President

Gloria Kinkead, Owner/Vice President

SelectShred, Inc.

T: (772) 463-3166

info@selectshred.com

SELECTSHRED | ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD COMPLIANCE – INDIANTOWN SHREDDING PORT ST LUCIE SHREDDING FORT PIERCE SHREDDING PALM CITY SHREDDING STUART SHREDDING JENSEN BEACH SHREDDING PALM BEACH GARDENS SHREDDING OKEECHOBEE SHREDDING

Why is there an urgency to forge an immediate partnership with a secure on-site document destruction/shredding service as federal regulations requiring compliance deadlines draw near? Healthcare organizations have been charged with safeguarding confidential information and protecting patient privacy (thereby avoiding fines or criminal and civil prosecution), but now Medicare physician fee payments will be impacted if electronic health record (EHR) compliance is not met.

Since 1996, medical facilities, doctors’ offices, and hospitals have been required to comply with provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) by protecting patient privacy. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act), enacted under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), significantly increased data protection requirements for all healthcare organizations. The HITECH Act includes data breach notification. Any breach of confidentiality such as improperly discarded documents must be reported to the authorities, patients, and the media. The HITECH Act also allows for increased enforcement and fines of up to $1,500,000 per incident. Although the electronic health record compliance requirement was created by the ARRA and included Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments for healthcare providers, the Affordable Care Act of 2010 goes further and will reduce Medicare physician fee payments if EHR compliance is not met by early 2015. http://www.healthit.gov/providers-professionals/faqs/are-there-penalties-providers-who-don%E2%80%99t-switch-electronic-health-record.

As we work with doctors’ offices that are scanning their patient charts for EHR compliance, we realize that some medical facilities are still not as informed as they should be about the importance of using a third-party vendor to provide shredding services to ensure federal and state compliance with regard to securing and discarding the confidential information of their patients. In 2006, the National Association for Information Destruction (NAID) did a survey that found 54% of healthcare organizations outsourced their information destruction needs. The same survey also showed that the trend in outsourcing was increasing. Your best protection is the use of a NAID AAA Certified document destruction company. With a third party vendor, outsourcing your shredding is more secure, it is less expensive, and there is a record of compliance. A document destruction company provides a certificate of destruction after each service.

For doctors and medical facilities in Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie, Stuart, Palm City, Jensen Beach, Rio, Hobe Sound, Port Salerno, Sewall’s Point, Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Jupiter Island, West Palm Beach, and Palm Beach Gardens, Indiantown, Okeechobee, and Vero Beach, it is important to understand that a secure on-site NAID AAA Certified document destruction company with a mobile shred truck that arrives at your location and shreds all documents at your location is your greatest ally to help you avoid fines and lost reputation, and to comply with federal regulations. With the implementation of EHR for all healthcare providers, the need for secure document destruction increases—not decreases. Click on the following links for additional information.http://www.isalushealthcare.com/Resources/ElectronicMedicalRecordsMandate.aspx

Richard Kinkead, Owner/President

Gloria Kinkead, Owner/Vice President

SelectShred, Inc.

T: (772) 463-3166

info@selectshred.com