The Importance of HIPAA compliance and Training

1. HIPAA
The Importance of HIPAA Compliance and Training
By: Jacqueline Ravelo
MHA690
Professor Hwang-Ji Lu
June 15, 2017

2. What is HIPAA and What does it do?
 HIPAA is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 which its
approval created a set of national standards for the protection of patient health
information.
 Reduces health care fraud and abuse;
 Requires the protection and confidential handling of protected health information
 Patient information cannot be shared or discussed in public areas
 HIPAA has a set of privacy and security rules that protect our patients privacy
 Any written, electronic or oral patient information is protected under the HIPAA law

3. HIPAA Requirements
 To protect a patients privacy and security of their Personal Health Information (PHI)
 To make sure that covered entities are following HIPAA protocol
 To ensure compliance by the workplace

4. HIPAA VIOLATIONS
 Discussing patient information in a public area
 Improper disposal of patient information
 Releasing patient information when HIPAA forms are not filled out correctly
 Sharing your passwords with others
 No computer protection – which allows for your computer to be hacked
 Not being authorized to view patient information

5. HIPAA PENALTIES
 Unknowing - $100 per violation with a maximum of $25,000 for a repeat offense
 Reasonable cause - $1,000 per violation with a maximum of $100,000 for repeat
offense
 Neglect violation but corrected within the required time - $10,000 per violation
with a maximum of $250,000 for repeat offense
 Neglect violation but not corrected within the required time - $50,000 per violation
with a maximum of $1.5 million

6. HIPAA TRAINING IDEAS
Key Points
 All new hire and current employees must be aware of the rules, laws and standards
set by HIPAA
 Educate your staff and provide HIPAA regulations, policies and violations in the
training program
 Have the staff in the training program interact in discussions, role play and have a
question and answer session of the material that has been taught
 Have the staff sign forms stating that they have been trained and educated on all
policies regarding HIPAA and that all questions and concerns have been addressed
 Offer a refresher course every 6 months
 Changing passwords every month will help reduce someone else from accessing
your workstation

7. Effectiveness of Confidentially Training
 Will help reduce HIPAA violations
 Patient information will be protected
 Employees have been trained and educated on HIPAA rules, regulations and
policies
 Employees will know how to properly dispose of patient information
 Employees will know not to discuss patient information or medical conditions in
public areas
 Employees will be aware not to share their passwords with others
 Offer refresher courses every 6 months to keep everyone up-to-date with any new
information regarding privacy and security of patient information

8. In conclusion
The privacy and security of our patients is something that needs to be protected at all
times. The breach of confidentially that happened at UCLA is the sad but reality of
what can happen if hospital employees use the access that is given to them to do their
job and use it in a negative way. We as hospital employees have an obligation to
protect the personal information of our patients and regardless if the patient is a
celebrity no one has the right to access that person’s personal information all because
that person is a celebrity. We must respect and protect the personal information of
every patient regardless of who they are because you will be violating HIPAA
compliance and there will be penalties involved.

9. References:
 http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/formsandpubs/laws/hipaa/Pages/1.10HIPAATitleInformatio
n.aspx
 https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individuals/guidance-materials-for-
consumers/index.html
 https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/hipaa-violations-enforcement
 http://www.hipaajournal.com/hipaa-compliance-checklist/
 http://www.foxnews.com/story/2008/08/06/report-over-120-ucla-hospital-staff-
saw-celebrity-health-records.html