When healthcare leaders think about HIPAA compliance, they often focus on EHR systems, firewalls, and secure cloud platforms.

But one of the most overlooked vulnerabilities in healthcare environments isn’t digital.

It’s sitting in the hallway. It’s at the nurses’ station. It’s the printer.

Why Print & Scan Security is a HIPAA Concern

Printers, copiers, and scanners (multifunction devices) process protected health information (PHI) every single day:

• Discharge instructions
• Lab results
• Prescription details
• Insurance documentation
• Referral paperwork
• Consent forms

If those documents are printed and left unattended, misdirected, or scanned without authentication, that’s not just a compliance issue. It’s a patient-safety issue.

A misplaced chart can delay treatment. A mis-scanned record can alter care decisions. An exposed prescription can create identity theft risk.

HIPAA violations often start with human workflow gaps, not malicious intent.

How Can Printers Cause a HIPAA Violation?

Healthcare organizations frequently ask: “Can a printer really cause a HIPAA breach?” Yes. Here’s how:

• Unclaimed documents left on output trays
• Shared devices without user authentication
• Scans sent to incorrect email addresses
• Hard drives inside copiers storing unencrypted PHI
• Remote access not properly secured
• Staff using personal scanning apps

Each of these scenarios creates exposure and under HIPAA, even unintentional exposure counts.

The Human Layer of HIPAA

Technology alone doesn’t create risk. People and process do.

In busy hospitals, outpatient clinics, imaging centers, and specialty practices:

• Staff are moving quickly
• Shift changes happen constantly
• Multiple departments share devices
• Paper still plays a role in care coordination

When workflow friction increases, shortcuts follow. Print security isn’t about locking everything down so tightly that care slows. It’s about designing workflows that make the secure action the easiest action.

Why This is a Patient-Safety Issue (Not Just IT's Problem)

When PHI is mishandled, consequences go beyond fines.

1. Delayed or Incorrect Care: If lab results print at the wrong station or are scanned into the wrong patient file, clinical decisions can be affected.

2. Identity & Financial Risk: Medical identity theft can compromise a patient’s medical history, prescriptions, and billing records.

3. Erosion of Trust: Patients assume their information is protected. Once trust is lost, reputation damage follows.

HIPAA compliance protects the organization. Print security protects the patient.

What Does Secure Healthcare Printing Actually Look Like?

Modern healthcare print security includes:

• User authentication (badge tap, PIN, or biometric release)
• Secure print release (documents only print when the user is present)
• Encrypted hard drives and data overwrite
• Audit trails for print and scan activity
• Secure scan-to-workflow integration
• Role-based access controls
• Network segmentation for devices

When implemented correctly, these controls support clinical efficiency instead of slowing it down.

Questions Healthcare Leaders Should be Asking

If you're evaluating your current environment, consider:

• Do we know who is printing what — and where?
• Are documents left unattended at shared devices?
• Are scans integrated directly into our EHR, or sent manually?
• Are our multifunction devices encrypted?
• Have we trained staff specifically on print-related HIPAA risks?

If the answer to any of these is “I’m not sure,” there may be risk hiding in plain sight.

The Future of HIPAA Compliance Includes Workflow Design

Healthcare security conversations often center on cybersecurity. But HIPAA doesn’t distinguish between digital and physical vulnerabilities.

Print and scan security sits at the intersection of:

• IT
• Clinical workflow
• Compliance
• Patient experience

Addressing this “human layer” reduces risk, strengthens compliance posture, and improves operational efficiency.

Most importantly? It protects patients.

Final Thoughts

The printer isn’t just an office device. In healthcare, it’s part of the care continuum. And when it’s unsecured, it becomes part of the risk continuum.

HIPAA compliance doesn’t end at the firewall. It starts wherever patient information moves, including the printer.

Partner with a team that understands healthcare workflows — and designs print environments that safeguard patients, not just devices. Contact SumnerOne today.