A practice replacing computers is disposing of patient records, whether or not anyone thinks of it that way. Clinical software caches data locally, scanned referrals sit in downloads folders, and imaging workstations hold far more than anyone expects. Putting those drives in a skip is a notifiable breach waiting to be discovered.
Kinsoft provides secure e-waste removal and certified data destruction for medical, dental and allied health practices across Sydney.
What a practice actually needs to dispose of
Reception and clinical workstations. The obvious ones, and the ones most likely to hold cached patient data from the practice management system.
Imaging and diagnostic equipment. Ultrasound, OPG, digital radiography and similar machines contain storage holding patient images, and that storage is frequently overlooked because the device is not thought of as a computer.
Multifunction printers and scanners. Almost every modern device has an internal drive retaining copies of everything scanned or copied — referrals, results, identity documents.
Old backup media. External drives and tapes from before a cloud migration, usually in a cupboard, usually unencrypted.
Why the paperwork matters here
Under the Privacy Act, improperly disposing of health information can be a notifiable data breach, and health information is the most sensitive category there is. A certificate of erasure — recording make, model, serial number, standard applied and verification result for each device — is what demonstrates the disposal was done properly if anyone ever asks. Accreditation surveyors and insurers increasingly ask.
Secure data destruction
Drives are wiped to DoD 5220.22-M by default, with NIST 800-88 and the Australian ISM available where required. SSDs use firmware-level Secure Erase. Full detail on our e-waste removal and data destruction page.
Arrange a collection
Call 02 9064 2663 or contact us online. We collect from practices across Sydney and can schedule around consulting hours.
Does our imaging equipment hold patient data?
Almost always, yes. Ultrasound and radiography machines contain storage with patient images on it, and it is the single most commonly missed item when a practice upgrades.
What about the practice photocopier?
Modern multifunction devices keep an internal drive holding copies of what has been scanned and printed. If it is leased and going back, that drive needs wiping before it leaves.
Do we need certificates for every device?
Not necessarily, but for anything that held clinical data it is worth it. The certificate is the evidence that disposal was handled properly, and it is cheap relative to explaining a breach without one.
Can you collect outside consulting hours?
Yes. Collections are scheduled around your consulting times so patients are not walking past equipment being moved.