Pharmacy Records Found in Public Restroom.

Storing customer records in an unlocked file cabinet in a public restroom is not a wise legal or public relations move. But that is where Walgreens in Creve Coeur, Missouri, was reportedly storing hundreds of prescription records more than a decade old. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, at least one customer informed managers about the possible privacy violation after noticing the worn four-drawer file cabinet in the women's restroom. The unlocked cabinet sat beneath the paper towel dispenser, between the sink and a full-length, padlocked locker. Allowing prescriptions to be accessible by the general public is a violation of federal privacy laws. Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, any entity covered by the law must adopt safeguard measures to keep patient information confidential and protected from individuals who have no reason to access it. Kevin Kinkade, executive director for the Missouri Board of Pharmacy, told the Post-Dispatch that the state of Missouri requires pharmacies to maintain records for five years in a way that protect patient privacy. Physical paper records can be transferred onto microfilm, microfiche, CD, or other electronic format after three years, and after five years, prescription records can be destroyed.