Confidentiality of Printed Patient Schedules

Q: Does HIPAA regulate where printed patient schedules are placed in the dental office?

A: Yes. Some offices may print out the patient schedule for the day and post it for professional staff. Often the schedule is posted where it can be seen by a patient - either in the examining room, or in a corridor, or on a door. Where it is placed may result in an unauthorized disclosure of patient information. Offices must make an effort to protect identifiable personal health information on a schedule of appointments, but this does not mean that the use of patient schedules is prohibited. If a schedule is placed in an operatory, with the patient’s back to the wall where it is hung, this would likely be considered sufficient protection of patient information.

Another approach is to place the printed side of the schedule facing the wall. Then one has to simply turn the bottom of the page up to reveal the schedule. An office that shows it has made a conscious effort to protect such information by placing it in a location accessible to professional staff, but with minimum access by patients in the office, will not be in violation of the HIPAA privacy rule to use printed patient schedules.

Ref. California Dental Association