AAOHN PROVIDES COMMENTS TO DOT
ON ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION AND STORAGE OF DRUG TESTING INFORMATION

ATLANTA – The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. (AAOHN) this week provided comments to the Department of Transportation (DOT) regarding the electronic transmission and storage of drug testing information. In light of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), AAOHN’s comments call for the development and implementation of universal security standards and safeguards to protect the integrity and confidentiality of personal health information, including drug testing information.

"Since the public continues to express concern about privacy protection, and with HIPAA now fully in effect, employers face increased liability in fulfilling legal responsibilities related to the administrative requirements of confidentiality," said AAOHN President Susan A. Randolph. "Drug testing information, in particular, can pose concerns. That’s why it makes sense for DOT to take an approach that allows for efficiencies that expedite drug test reporting requirements, but does not jeopardize the privacy of those being tested."

Specifically, AAOHN recommends having administrative, technical, and physical security safeguards in place, such as:

• Internal administrative safeguards (e.g. written policies, designated security coordinators)
• Work station design that prevents access to private information (e.g. monitor placement, screen guards and savers)
• Access controls (e.g. terminal, user and content codes, encryption, de-identification, e-mail, faxing, etc.)
• Processes that track the disclosure and transmission of personal health information (e.g. audit logs)
• Changes in access codes or passwords (e.g. scheduled changes, or changes immediately upon user termination)

In addition, AAOHN urges DOT to address the challenges with protecting hard copies of drug testing information, in addition to the information transmitted electronically.

The full text of AAOHN’s comments to the DOT can be found online by clicking here.

Established in 1942, AAOHN is a 10,000 member professional association dedicated to advancing the health, safety and productivity of domestic and global workforces by providing education, research, public policy and practice resources for occupational and environmental health nurses. These professionals are the largest group of health care providers serving the worksite.

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