Health care providers are required to protect patient information under HIPAA regulations. While most focus on digital cybersecurity, printed documents also create compliance risks. To stay secure, SumnerOne recommends that hospitals and clinics use tools like pull-print authentication, encryption, and audit logs to safeguard both digital and print workflows.
Why is Print Security Important in Health Care?
Print remains a heavily used medium in health care for discharge summaries, lab results, and prescriptions. If left unprotected, these documents can expose sensitive patient data. Many HIPAA violations occur when printed files are left in trays, accessed by unauthorized staff, or transmitted without encryption.
What Are the Best Practices for Securing Print Workflows?
To secure patient data across digital and print workflows, health care organizations should:
- Use pull-print authentication so staff release jobs only after entering a PIN number or scanning a badge.
- Encrypt data in transit and at rest to ensure files remain secure as they move between systems and devices.
- Enable audit trails to track who printed, copied, or scanned each document.
- Set role-based permissions to restrict access to sensitive records.
How Does Print Security Support HIPAA Compliance?
By securing print workflows, health care organizations lower the risk of data breaches, strengthen HIPAA compliance, and avoid costly penalties. It also fosters patient trust by demonstrating a commitment to protecting personal health information.
What Should Health Care Leaders Do Next?
The best next step is to review your current print environment for compliance gaps.
Contact SumnerOne today to schedule a HIPAA compliance print workflow review.
About SumnerOne:
SumnerOne offers a broad portfolio of software solutions, office equipment, development tools, programs, and IT services that provide you a complete strategy for your small department or global enterprise
Reference:
Chelsea Bottoroff, Technology Account Manager
SumnerOne
417.831.6400
cbottoroff@sumnerone.com
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