My brother-in-law retired a few years ago after more than three decades in private practice. He ran his busy office the old fashioned way — without computers. His patients’ records were kept in manila folders filed in a wall of shelves. In longhand, his office manager recorded appointments in a big black book and …
How to Prepare for the Risk Assessment HIPAA Requires Read More »
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 …
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, …
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 …
Most HIPAA Checklists Are a Waste of Time. Here’s Why. Read More »
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.
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 …
HIPAA, Britney Spears, and Protected Health Information Read More »
Phishing has become so commonplace, the word has made its way into the dictionary: Phish — to try to obtain financial or other confidential information from Internet users, typically by sending an e-mail that looks as if it is from a legitimate organization, usually a financial institution, but contains a link to a fake website …
How Falling Prey to a Phishing Expedition Puts PHI at Risk Read More »
If there’s one aspect of HIPAA compliance it seems every office implements, it’s the Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) — the document that informs patients of the permitted uses and disclosures of their Protected Health Information (PHI) and also spells out their rights as patients regarding their own access to their PHI. I can vouch …
Recent Changes in the Notice of Privacy Practices: What You Need to Know Read More »
Let me set a scene where a Virtual Private Network (VPN) would be “just what the doctor ordered.” You’re out of town at a conference of healthcare professionals in your specialty. Before you left home, a colleague asked you to consult on a paricular case. She said she would email you the patient’s test results …
The Pluses of a Virtual Private Network for Exchanging PHI Remotely Read More »
I’m going to talk a little bit today about audit trails — sometimes called “audit logs” — and the vital role they can play in your ongoing efforts to keep Protected Health Information (PHI) safe, your workforce honest, and hackers at bay. What is an audit trail? According to Fundamentals of Law for Health Informatics …
Healthcare Providers: Why a Computer’s Audit Trail Is Important Read More »
