Privacy

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) focuses on protecting the privacy and security of individuals' medical information while also ensuring that people maintain health insurance coverage when changing or losing jobs. HIPAA is divided into five titles, each addressing different aspects of healthcare regulation.

A HIPAA breach has lasting impacts. A breach will trigger an investigation and may result in civil penalties. A breach can erode the patient trust in the provider and the medical community. A breach also opens your office up for litigation.

There are many different personal health applications that individuals are using. As a provider, you are responsible for using secure applications. However many personal health applications will not fall under HIPAA guidelines. Before using these applications, understand how they protect the privacy of their users.

Investigations and audits are being triggered by patient complaints. One such complaint that was investigated by OCR cost the office $28,000 and were found to be violating several HIPAA regulations.

The Supreme Court ruling on Roe emphasizes the importance on understanding patient's rights to the privacy of their information. HHS has provided guidance following this ruling to best understand what providers roles are regarding patient's health information.

in order to be HIPAA Compliant, you must maintain a "Culture of Compliance" at your office. This can include keeping your software up-to-date, regular required training and addressing risks that pose to your office. This month we address the HIPAA Privacy Manual, enabling your hardware firewall and tracking internet of things

The purpose of these changes is to support individuals’ engagement in their care, remove barriers to coordinated care, and reduce regulatory burdens on the health care industry.