I have a department that is converting to a new electronic record and has asked if their existing volunteers may assist with data entry of patient records.  The question is that the information involved includes SSN and diagnosis information (among other material) to which volunteers are not typically exposed.  While all volunteers do sign and are trained in HIPAA and sign confidentiality statements, the department is prepared to assign a specific login and provide additional training to their volunteers for this purpose.  We've just never let volunteers work in patient information to this depth before. Does anyone else utilize volunteers to input patient data?  Any other advice for or against?

Many thanks!

Rob

I feel the opposite...

I have several volunteers who have computer access, and access to Star, Cerner, whatever the department has asked for.  Every volunteer has been trained in confidentiality and hipaa, and have signed a corporate responsiblity agreement, as well as receiving documented department training.

Thank you all for the feedback thus far.  I agree that as long as the volunteer has the proper training and oversight, and is placed appropriately, that there is no reason an "unpaid staff" cannot process the information as well as a "paid staff." We do have clinical outreach volunteers that are not employed by us serving on our mobile care team, so there is precedent for volunteers to have the access to patient information--but as I said, it's just never been done with hosptial volunteers and we are working against the "pink ladies" image. 

Would love to hear from others!