HIPAA Privacy Rule | Touchstone Compliance

HIPAA Privacy Rule. HIPAA Security Rule. What’s the Difference?

Eavesdrop on a conversation about HIPAA compliance and most likely you’ll hear the words “privacy” and “security” — sometimes separately, often together, and usually in the context of safeguarding patient information. “So, what exactly is the difference between ‘privacy’ and ‘security’ in relation to HIPAA compliance?” you ask. With today’s HIPAA Quick Tip I’ll try to clear that up. And at the end of this post, you can test your understanding of that distinction with a one-question quiz. (I’m joking. Sort of. You’ll see.) The HIPAA’s Privacy Rule refers to the broad requirements to protect the confidentiality of Protected Health […]

9 Safeguards for a HIPAA Compliant Fax

Before there was widespread access to email and the Internet, fax machines in healthcare practices were a common and accepted way to expeditiously share patient information with other providers. Convenient, affordable, easy to use, it’s no wonder fax machines are still whirring in a lot of offices. Maybe even yours. But with all the regulations now in place to ensure the privacy and security of Protected Health Information (PHI), many practices are wondering: Is information sent via fax HIPAA compliant? In today’s blog I’ll answer that question, provide guidelines for a HIPAA compliant fax for those of you who aren’t […]

Having Business Associate Agreements Can Save a Healthcare Office Boku Bucks

“The times they are a changin’,” Bob Dylan sang in the Sixties. And they still are, especially when it comes to HIPAA and its regulaltions regarding Business Associate Agreements. The Omnibus Rule that went into effect in September of 2013 makes it clear that business associates of healthcare practices now have to comply with many of the provisions of the HIPAA Privacy Rule, all of the HIPAA Security Rule, and HIPAA’s Breach Notification Rule. While Business Associate Agreements have been part of HIPAA since it began, the big changes since the passage of the Omnibus Rule include: An expanded definition […]

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.

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 Hack 2017 HIPAA says that every practice or healthcare organization must designate a privacy officer. No office—no matter its size—is exempt from this HIPAA requirement. In larger healthcare organizations, it’s not uncommon for the role of HIPAA Privacy Officer to be someone’s entire job. That […]

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 Kardashian or Maria Shriver. In several incidents in recent years, their curiosity has cost them their jobs in healthcare. Today I’m going to talk about what can be learned about HIPAA compliance from cases like that — even if the only celebrity who ever visits […]

Are Templates for HIPAA Policies & Procedures a Good Idea?

Some providers believe the solution to HIPAA’s Policies and Procedures requirement is to buy a bunch of templates, fill in all the blanks that say NAME OF YOUR PRACTICE HERE, put those pages in a binder, slide the binder on a shelf, and be done with it. Templates can provide an acceptable starting point, but Policies and Procedures need to be specific to each practice.

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Category Archive for: "HIPAA Privacy Rule"

HIPAA Privacy Rule. HIPAA Security Rule. What’s the Difference?

9 Safeguards for a HIPAA Compliant Fax

Having Business Associate Agreements Can Save a Healthcare Office Boku Bucks

A Practice’s Privacy Officer and Security Officer: The Batman & Robin of HIPAA Compliance

The Role of a Practice’s HIPAA Privacy Officer

HIPAA, Britney Spears, and Protected Health Information

Are Templates for HIPAA Policies & Procedures a Good Idea?