As the security officer for Dr. Hoffman and his colleagues, the first order of business is an assessment of current practices and a roster of all staff employed at the practice. I will need to know what level of access to patient information is currently granted to each staff. I would follow as mentioned by Rinehart-Thompson “Isolate Healthcare Clearinghouse Functions” this is to protect information pertaining to the practice is not commingled with any other affiliate. I would also include my list of tasks for the assessment which include the following:
1. Staff information, such as:
a. Name
b. Role in the practice
c. Level of access to patient information
d. Clinical verses non clinical staff
e. If there is an EHR or other system their access and role within the system
f.
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Current status of HIPAA and PHI compliance/Training
2. What compliance tools are available at the practice to train and track employee training, such a Learning Management System tool (LMS) a. If there is a tool what version of this tool is in place and is it current on HIPAA standards
b. If the system is current and compliant, then I need to review all staff status, records and have refresher training as applicable
c. In the event there is no system in place I would implement a Learning Management System tool (LMS) for HIPAA and ePHI training and compliance.
d. If there is an LMS in place, I would review its current version and ensure it is up to date. I would also confirm the LMS content is to standards with the required materials related to HIPAA privacy and security rules.
e. Training and testing sessions would be mandatory for all staff. Including Dr. Hoffman. I would want him to lead as example.
3. The second implementation I would include a clearance process and access control. These would be a part of the Policy and Procedures for the practice.
For clearance, access and
The new user policy has also been modified to include security and awareness training requirements. HIPAA includes addressable administrative standards for security and awareness training of all members of the workforce to include periodic security reminders, protection from malware, log-in monitoring and password management (HHS, 2007).
This unit will be responsible for researching and recommending a comprehensive compensation and benefit system. It will also handle payroll, payroll tax administration and benefit administration. It will be responsible for benefit education and
I need to ensure I provide and arrange adequate training for my staff on a regular basis and ensure they are aware of any new legislations.
when working in the front office of a medical office there are multiple things to put in consideration to avoid violating HIPAA.
Discuss what types of security measures are most important to ensure the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) regulations are met.
Under the HIPAA compliance audit program if a healthcare organization has attested and is later audited and found not to be compliant with HIPAA, the organization could face penalties including giving back the meaningful use incentive money. (Goedert, 2013) provided the following ways to ensure compliance: conduct mock audits, make sure all data within the organization is encrypted, computer access is logged, network security gaps have been filled, policies and regulations have been updated and expanded, and most importantly that all staff complete annual HIPAA training courses with emphasis on privacy and security.
Medical records and medical correspondence are increasingly going digital. This has different risks than traditional paper records. Starting with HIPAA compliant software helps keep digital records safe. The IT end of things is a critical piece of the puzzle and one that can be a burden for small offices
Research five healthcare provider websites and see if the site mentions HIPAA, HITECH, or The Joint Commission.
My facility provides education annually on HIPAA, patient confidentiality with electronic mail and social media. The facility also monitors both internal and external communications (i.e.,
The hospital accounting department will also be off limits except only for those personnel that are authorized. Extra vigilance must be place on all medical record rooms, since the hospital still has paper medical records. All medical staff will receive training so that they understand the importance of HIPAA. This policy will guarantee that we have controls in place in regards to accessing patient information and staff access is monitored.
Develop a training plan for new HIM employees that will ensure that they understand the HIPAA regulations and what their role is in maintaining them.
There will be information at hand to assist in making medical decision during the time of visit. Lastly, the EHR mandates that people’s health information is to be kept secure ("Department of Health and Human Services," 2008).
There are a multitude of patient privacy (HIPAA) and patient information concerns related to the use of technology in medical care. Selection of the proper hardware, operating systems and system software make the compliance with and documentation in support of these regulations far easier.
Although the EHR is still in a transitional state, this major shift that electronic medical records are taking is bringing many concerns to the table. Two concerns at the top of the list are privacy and standardization issues. In 1996, U.S. Congress enacted a non-for-profit organization called Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This law establishes national standards for privacy and security of health information. HIPAA deals with information standards, data integrity, confidentiality, accessing and handling your medical information. They also were designed to guarantee transferred information be protected from one facility to the next (Meridan, 2007). But even with the HIPAA privacy rules, they too have their shortcomings. HIPAA can’t fully safeguard the limitations of who’s accessible to your information. A short stay at your local
"HIPAA doesn?t necessarily prescribe the solutions, but it does require physicians to look at all of the ways that they use and access data today and determine whether that?s reasonable or not." to help you begin your HIPAA compliance process, following are some practical ideas for rethinking how you maintain and use patient information in your office. Appoint one or two staff members (depending on the size of your office) to review the HIPAA act, determine the changes your practice needs to make, and decide if you?ll need outside help. To keep this project manageable, do not wait until the last minute. Remember: most of the healthcare industry will have to be HIPAA compliant by April 14, 2003. Furthermore, compliance is not optional. Those found in violation of the act will be penalized: "Civil penalties range up to $25,000 per violation of each standard. Criminal penalties range up to $250,000 in fines and/or up to 10 years in prison."3