It is very important that your courier is HIPAA compliant. This guide explains what every medical office should know about HIPAA-compliant couriers.
Have you ever had a negative experience with your medical courier? Did they show up late with an important medical delivery? Or did they ruin an important shipment of medications?
If you’ve struggled with medical couriers in the past, GO₂ Delivery is here for you.
At GO₂ Delivery, we provide superior service for every medical office we work with. Our staff members receive OSHA training and HIPAA certification. We train and certify each staff member regularly.
If your office has been disappointed by previous medical couriers, then take a look through this article. We will cover everything you need to know about hiring a HIPAA-compliant courier to transport your valuable materials.
The Role of Medical Couriers
Unlike standard couriers, medical couriers provide services in the medical and health-care industries. These services range from picking up blood samples to transporting valuable medical equipment.
Let’s look at some of the most common functions of a medical courier:
- Delivering biological samples to a laboratory
- Handling sensitive documents like patient charts
- Transporting controlled substances to a local pharmacy
- Bringing X-ray or MRI machines to your office
For important jobs like these, you need to hire a courier you can rely on. Transported materials like blood plasma or urine samples are time-sensitive. You want a courier who is reliable and efficient for these tasks.
A medical courier also needs to care for sensitive materials during the transportation process. Blood or organs need certain temperatures. Couriers should handle these materials with great care.
Medical couriers must also avoid any type of contamination. To do this, they should wear protective equipment and use appropriate storage containers.
Finally, many patient charts or medical records contain private information. A medical courier is responsible for protecting this.
In 1996, the US government passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This act contains standards for protecting private health information. You want to hire a medical courier trained in HIPAA compliance.
A well-trained medical courier can help your business run smoothly. They can provide emergency responses in time-sensitive situations like organ delivery.
Medical couriers are a critical part of health care logistics. Choosing the right courier is one step towards improving your patient care.
Hiring the Right Courier Service for Your Office
Now we know more about the role of a medical courier. Let’s review important considerations you should take when you hire a new courier.
Delivery Timing and Real-Time Tracking
Sensitive materials like biological samples need a quick delivery. Couriers should also deliver private documentation within a certain time frame.
Your medical courier should deliver materials by your deadlines. During delivery, they must follow all traffic rules and regulations. Every medical courier should have an excellent driving record.
At GO₂ Delivery, we offer same-day, on-demand delivery. We offer GPS tracking so you can follow your package in real-time. We also send out email notifications to keep you updated on your courier’s progress.
GO₂ Delivery medical couriers are all trained to handle medical logistics. We also carry out regular field audits. These audits help us make sure that all our staff is meeting your important needs.
Professional Appearance and Attitude
There is nothing more disappointing than an unprofessional courier. Your courier represents your office during the transportation process.
All medical couriers should dress in professional attire. You also want couriers with reliable backgrounds.
At GO₂ Delivery, we train each courier to maximize their professional appearance. Our couriers all wear business attire. We perform TSA background checks on each staff member.
We take the hassle out of finding a medical courier. When you partner with Medical One, you partner with quality.
HIPAA Compliant Couriers
One of the most important parts of selecting a medical courier is making sure they are HIPAA compliant. But what does this mean?
Each medical courier should have HIPAA certification. HIPAA training courses prepare individuals for this certification.
Let’s go over the different parts of HIPAA training, and why these are important.
The HIPAA act protects health information privacy. It also gives patients rights to their health information. There are three main HIPAA rules:
The Privacy Rule
The HIPAA privacy rule applies to any shared health information. Insurance companies, health care providers, and anyone who shares electronic health information must follow this rule.
The privacy rule protects any private health information. This includes demographic data about an individual.
This rule also covers any information about a patient’s past or future health. It protects any information that could show a patient’s identity.
Your medical courier should take steps to protect all private details. This will keep your patients safe.
The Security Rule
The HIPAA security rule protects electronic health information. Anyone who handles this information has to keep it confidential.
Protecting electronic records is an important part of cybersecurity. People who store these records have to keep them confidential. They also need to make sure that staff members keep this information private.
Medical couriers are also responsible for keeping these records secure. At GO₂ Delivery, we make sure our couriers keep your data safe.
The Breach Notification Rule
The HIPAA Breach Notification Rule tells you how to let patients know their information was breached. When a privacy breach happens, there are certain steps HIPAA recommends.
Patients must be notified when their data is shared. According to this rule, you must tell your patients what data was shared. You must also tell them who was responsible for the data breach.
Medical couriers must report any data breaches. During HIPAA training, couriers learn the proper steps for this process.
It is important to make sure your courier has completed HIPAA training. This protects your patients from data breaches. It also protects your office from legal action.
Storing and transporting patient data can be a tricky process! That’s where GO₂ Delivery comes in.
OSHA Pathogens Training
In addition to HIPAA training, medical couriers should take bloodborne pathogens training.
OSHA requires this training for anyone who might come into contact with blood or other bodily fluids. Medical couriers are at risk of contact during their work.
The three most common bloodborne diseases are Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). To protect employees from these dangers, all Medical One couriers receive OSHA training.
Preventative Steps
There are many steps we can take to protect ourselves and our staff. Some of these steps include:
- Regular hand washing
- Use of protective equipment (gloves, masks, etc.)
- Safety containers for hazardous materials
- Proper vaccination of all staff members
- Exposure Control Plans
When they transport biological materials, couriers are at risk of infection. Your medical courier must make sure to take the right precautions.
When a medical courier comes to pick up materials, they should always be wearing appropriate protective equipment. Materials should be stored in special containers to prevent spills.
Couriers should receive vaccinations for Hepatitis B and C. They may need regular blood testing as well. They should take good care of their hygiene at all times.
After Exposure
If a courier is exposed to a hazardous material, they should know the proper steps to take. This is where the Exposure Control Plan comes in.
When an exposure event happens, couriers should notify their supervisors. They will work together to decide on a plan. In many cases, this first involves detailed reporting of the incident.
After the exposure event, couriers should have follow-up appointments with a doctor. Their doctor can perform blood tests to make sure the courier is healthy.
HIPAA and OSHA training are both simple processes. They do not take long to complete. But this simple precaution pays off in the long run.
When your medical courier is highly trained, you can rest assured that your products are in safe hands.
At Medical One, our couriers are up to date on the latest training methods. When you choose one of our medical couriers, you are choosing the best.
Ready to Learn More?
Choosing the right medical courier for your office is an important task. We know how difficult this choice can be.
Our highly trained couriers are here to help. Our staff of courteous dispatchers is standing by to meet your needs. From logistics support to same-day courier services, we’ve got you covered.
To learn more about how Medical One is right for you, get in touch! The professionals at Medical One will be happy to answer all your questions.
We look forward to helping you meet your office’s unique needs. And, as always, putting your patients first.
