A Practice’s Privacy Officer and Security Officer: The Batman & Robin of HIPAA Compliance
As part of HIPAA compliance, every healthcare office must have a Privacy Officer and a Security Officer. This article describes the responsibilities of each.
Why Serious HIPAA Enforcement Is Inevitable
To borrow a phrase from Stephen Colbert, the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) — the department in charge of HIPAA enforcement — got a “wag of the finger” a while back from the Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. And that’s bound to have an impact on healthcare offices everywhere. A November
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The Role of a Practice’s HIPAA Privacy Officer
Exactly when an HHS auditor will visit your office is anybody’s guess. But I do know the first words an auditor is likely to say when he/she arrives to assess how the practice is doing with HIPAA compliance: “I’m from Health and Human Services and I’d like to speak with your Privacy Officer.”Roblox Robux
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8 Common HIPAA Compliance Cop-Outs
Let’s be honest. To many healthcare providers, HIPAA is four-letter word. And the phrase “HIPAA compliance” — around since 1996 — has become a kind of irritating background noise they’ve gotten used to, but still wish would go away. Here in 2015 HIPAA compliance can no longer be ignored. Advances in technology and consumer awareness,
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How Data Backup Can Save a Healthcare Practice in a Disaster
In the event of a disaster, here’s what every healthcare provider needs to know about data backup of Personal Health Information (PHI and ePHI).
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Most HIPAA Checklists Are a Waste of Time. Here’s Why.
Just now, out of curiosity, I Googled the words “HIPAA compliance checklist.” Within .20 seconds I got 2,470,000 results. Page after Google page of businesses, legal firms, healthcare organizations, and government agencies offering everything from “Ten-Point HIPAA Checklists” to “$89 Compliance Checklists.” The appeal of such lists is undeniable. Knowing what I know about HIPAA
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Policies and Procedures – A Starter List for HIPAA Compliance
Policies and procedures play a key role in HIPAA compliance. Here’s a partial list of the policies and procedures every healthcare practice needs to have in place.
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A New Approach to ePHI Security in Your Practice
Safeguarding ePHI (electronic Protected Health Information) isn’t the sole responsibility of a healthcare office’s IT person. It’s a team effort that depends on everyone adhering to good computer practices.
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HIPAA, Britney Spears, and Protected Health Information
I don’t know much about Ms. Spears. I’ve no idea who she’s paired with at the moment. And if I saw an Enquirer headline that read, “North Woods Shocker: Britney Marries Bigfoot,” I would not be tempted to buy a copy. But a lot of people are  curious about celebrities like Britney Spears or Kim
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When a PHI Breach Happens: What to Tell Your Patients
As soon as you discover that’s there’s been a breach of PHI, HIPAA requires that “without unreasonable delay” you notify those patients whose information is involved and in danger of being compromised. This article discusses how to do that.
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