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 …

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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 …

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Having Business Associate Agreements Can Save a Healthcare Office Boku Bucks

Leave a Comment / Business Associate Agreement, HIPAA Privacy Rule, HIPAA Security Rule, Omnibus Rule / By Roman Diaz

“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 …

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

Leave a Comment / HIPAA Privacy Rule, HIPAA Security Rule / By Roman Diaz

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

Leave a Comment / HIPAA Privacy Officer, HIPAA Privacy Rule / By Roman Diaz

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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HIPAA, Britney Spears, and Protected Health Information

Leave a Comment / audit trail, Data Security, HIPAA Privacy Rule, HIPAA Security Rule / By Roman Diaz

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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Are Templates for HIPAA Policies & Procedures a Good Idea?

Leave a Comment / HIPAA Privacy Rule, HIPAA Security Rule, Policies and Procedures / By Roman Diaz

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.