MANAGEMENT OF EMPLOYEE HEALTH RECORDS

Course Goals | Segments

Background of Employee Health Records.

Key Definitions.

Federal and State Regulatory Influences (ADA, FMLA, OSHA, Workers’ Compensation, Wisconsin Employment Regulations).

Management of Employee Health Records.

Disclosure of Employee Health Record Information/Copies.

Retention and Disposal of Employee Health Records.

EMPLOYEE HEALTH RECORDS

Employee health records are created and maintained for the following reasons:

To accomplish the mission/goals of the employee health department/function through:

Promoting employee health and wellness

Preventing illness and injuries

EMPLOYEE HEALTH RECORDS

Reducing the spread of communicable diseases

Creating a safe working environment

Increasing operating efficiencies through reduced absenteeism

To comply with federal and state regulations.

To protect the organization in litigation.

EMPLOYEE HEALTH RECORDS

The organization must manage the employee health records to ensure systematic control from creation or receipt through processing, distribution, maintenance, retrieval, retention, and final disposition.

INTERSECTING ROLES

Employer

Healthcare Provider

Health Plan

HIPAA

The Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act excludes employment records maintained by a healthcare organization in its capacity as an employer from the definition of protected health information.

The HIPAA Privacy Rule standards do not apply to employee health records.

HIPAA – HOWEVER……..

Many Employees Perceive That HIPAA Protections Apply to Their Employee Health Information.

HIPAA Standards Have Become “Industry-Standards” for Safeguarding the Privacy and Security of Health Information.

Site Link http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/

EXAMPLES

Minimum Necessary Access

Authentication for Access to Electronic Health Information/PHI

Physical Security and Access Controls

Administrative Safeguards

FOR CONSIDERATION

Value of Information Collected

Personal Identifying Information – Threat of Identity Theft

Sequestering “Legal” Records

FOR CONSIDERATION

The role of the employee health staff person is often a dual role with other assigned functions.

Employee health nurse/infection control nurse

Aware of what role he/she is in when accessing employee health or patient health record information and limit access accordingly

EMPLOYEE HEALTH RECORD DEFINITION

Any health-related information created, obtained, or maintained by the organization regarding an employee’s physical or mental condition, including, but not limited to:

Results of medical exams and tests

Employee health documents regarding medical certifications, re-certifications, or medical histories.

EMPLOYEE HEALTH RECORD DEFINITION – Continued

Opinions or other recommendations of a healthcare provider concerning the health of an employee or employees performed by or received by employee health.

Documentation related to participation in employee-health sponsored wellness programs.

EMPLOYEE HEALTH RECORD DEFINITION – Continued

Employee medical complaints relating to workplace exposure or injury.

Employee health department health related opinions or recommendations sought out by employees

Other records maintained by employee health, such as ADA, FMLA, OSHA, and workers compensation.

PATIENT HEALTH RECORD

Records related to the health of a patient prepared by or under the supervision of a health care provider and subject to the standards set forth in HIPAA.

FEDERAL REGULATORY INFLUENCES

American with Disabilities Act (ADA) – 29 CFR §§ 1630.14(d) & 1630.16(f)

Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) 29 CFR 1910

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) 29 CFR § 825

AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA)

The American with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, transportation, public accommodation, communications, and governmental activities.

DISCLOSURES UNDER ADA

The employer may disclose the information collected from ADA medical examinations and inquiries to:

Management responsible for ensuring necessary work restrictions and accommodations;

First aid and safety personnel who may need to respond if an employee’s disability requires emergency treatment;

Government officials investigating employer compliance with the ADA;

DISCLOSURES UNDER ADA

The employer may disclose the information collected from ADA medical examinations and inquiries to:

Those requesting the information in accordance with state worker’s compensation laws; and

Those requesting the information for insurance-related purposes.

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT (OSHA)

Requires employers to provide and report employee medical surveillance and to monitor and report employee workplace injuries.

States that employees must be informed of their access rights to their medical and exposure records.

OSHA AND RECORDS

OSHA defines a record as "any item, collection or grouping of information regardless of the form or process by which it is maintained."

The standard further differentiates between exposure records and medical records.

OSHA – MEDICAL RECORDS

Medical Record: The standard defines an employee medical record as "a record concerning the health status of an employee which is made or maintained by a physician, nurse or other health care personnel, or technician."

OSHA MEDICAL RECORDS INCLUDE

Medical and employment questionnaires or histories.

The results of medical examinations and laboratory tests (including chest and other X-ray examinations taken for the purpose of establishing a baseline).

OSHA MEDICAL RECORDS INCLUDE - CONTINUED

Medical opinions, diagnoses, progress notes, and recommendations.

First aid records.

Descriptions of treatments and prescriptions.

Employee medical complaints.

OSHA MEDICAL RECORDS DO NOT INCLUDE

Physical specimens (e.g., blood or urine samples) which are routinely discarded.

Records concerning health insurance claims if maintained separately from the employer's medical program and its records.

Records created solely in preparation for litigation.

Records concerning voluntary employee assistance programs (EAP) if maintained separately from the employer's medical program and its records.

OSHA – EMPLOYEE EXPOSURE RECORDS

The Standard Defines an Employee Exposure Record as a Record Containing the Following Information:

Environmental Monitoring of Toxic or Harmful Substances

Biological Monitoring results

Material Data Safety Sheets

FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT (FMLA)

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires that all covered employers provide their eligible employees with 12 weeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period for one or more of the following reasons:

Employee has a serious medical condition

the birth or adoption of a child

Provide care to an immediate family member with a serious health condition

FMLA CONSIDERATIONS

Requires Provider to Verify a “Serious Health Condition”

Does Not State That Specific Diagnostic and/or Treatment Information Need be Provided

STATE REGULATORY INFLUENCES

Check for the State Regulations pertaining to Medical Records for the States which have jurisdiction over your operations.

WORKER’S COMPENSATION

Allows worker’s compensation insurers, state administrative agencies, and employers to obtain health information to the extent authorized under the state worker’s compensation law.

MANAGEMENT OF EMPLOYEE HEALTH RECORDS

Maintenance

Organizational Access and Use

Employee Access

MAINTENANCE

Employee health records shall be maintained separately by the healthcare organization in its capacity as an employer.

Employee health records and patient health records shall be maintained in separate files, storage areas or systems.

Treat as “confidential” with access restricted to authorized workforce members.

RECORD “CROSSOVER”

Dual Use of Employee/Patient Health Records: The organization must recognize the potential that under certain circumstances employee patient health record documents may “cross over” and become part of the organization’s employee health record.

RECORDS THAT MAY CROSSOVER WHEN

Authorized in writing by the employee/patient from a healthcare provider.

Integral to the processing of a Workers’ Compensation claim.

Part of a short or long-term disability claim.

RECORDS THAT MAY CROSSOVER WHEN

Required for Pre-employment or post-offer physical examination.

Part of the Employment-related drug testing program.

Necessary to process ADA disability accommodations Supplemental to Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requests.

ORIGINALS OF RECORD DOCUMENTS

The record document that is “original” to the employee health record or the provider health record must remain in the respective record.

ACCESS TO EMPLOYEE HEALTH RECORDS

Restrict to “Need to Know”

Minimum Necessary Access

Question Requests for More

Know When it is Appropriate to Disclose to Management, Others

OTHER MAINTENANCE ISSUES

Post-Offer Physicals, Drug Testing, and Fitness for Duty Examinations

Release for Duty/Return to Work Forms

Organizational Use of Employee Heath Information

DISCLOSURE OF EMPLOYEE HEALTH RECORDS

Employee health records may be disclosed, without employee authorization, in the following circumstances: Governmental officials investigating employer

compliance

State agency processing a Worker’s Compensation claim

Other authorized governmental agency in compliance with applicable law.

Organization’s legal counsel to be used for defense for or against an employee’s discrimination claim.

WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION RECOMMENDED

For disclosures which do not fall into the categories noted previously, a written authorization is recommended.

Content of Authorization – Consider “patient-type” format.

RETENTION OF EMPLOYEE HEALTH RECORDS

Several laws and regulations provide guidance on the retention schedule for employee health records.

OSHA has the most restrictive guidance, which has become the unofficial standard for employee health record retention.

RETENTION REGULATIONS

Employee Exposure Records (referenced in OSHA)

30 Years

29 CFR 1910.1020(d)(1)- AHIMA

29 CFR 1915.1020 – AHIMA

29 CFR 1926.33 - AHIMA

RETENTION REGULATIONS

Employee Health Records

Term of Employment + 30 Years

29 CFR 1910.1020(d)(1) – AHIMA

29 CFR 1915.1020 – AHIMA

29 CFR 1926.33 - AHIMA

DISPOSAL OF EMPLOYEE HEALTH RECORDS

HIPAA Security Rule as a Standard?

Paper Records

Electronic Records

File Cabinets, Desks, Etc.

QUESTIONS & DISCUSSION

QUESTION 1

Why is it important for an organization to establish guidelines for the management of employee health records?

QUESTION 2

Is there a need to distinguish who is the actual “custodian” of the employee health recordkeeping system?

QUESTION 3

Is a written authorization for disclosure required prior to disclosing patient protected health information (PHI) on employees for diagnostic study results ordered by the organization’s employee health department?

QUESTION 4

Is there a need for a healthcare organization to address employee health in its designated record set?

QUESTION 5

Can an organization truly “separate” employee health records from patient health records/PHI in an electronic recordkeeping system? If not, how should this be addressed?

QUESTION 6

What are the requirements to maintain employee health records separately and confidentially?

QUESTION 7

Is there a need to distinguish more specifically the actual forms which should be part of the employee health record?

QUESTION 8

Must all employee health related documents be maintained in the employee health record? For example, if the employee health department offers flu shots to the staff, can the consents for the flu shots be batched and maintained separately to alleviate the filing burden?