Which approved method is recommended for destroying old patient records?

Shredding old patient records in a mechanical shredder is the most recommended method for destroying sensitive information in compliance with privacy regulations. This method ensures that the documents are rendered completely unreadable and unreconstructable, safeguarding patient confidentiality and protecting against unauthorized access to personal health information.

While transferring records to a digital format can help in data management, it does not fully eliminate the risks associated with maintaining physical copies of sensitive documents unless those physical copies are destroyed afterward. Burning can be effective but may not always be advisable due to environmental concerns and the variability of local regulations surrounding waste disposal and fire safety. Storing old records in a locked cabinet, while a good practice for maintaining data security, does not fulfill the requirement for destroying documents that are no longer needed and could still be vulnerable to breaches if the cabinet is accessed unlawfully.