Introduction
The purpose ofHIPAA training is to uphold the
confidentiality of medical record information and
protect the patient’s right to privacy in the
collection and disclosure of patient information.
HIPAA regulations require organizations, such as Ridgeview
Institute, to provide HIPAA training to its workforce members.
3.
What is HIPAA?
HealthInsurance Portability and Accountability Act
(HIPAA) is a federal law to provide privacy standards to
protect patient’s medical records and other health
information provided to health plans, doctors, hospitals,
and other health care providers.
These standards provide patients with access to their medical
records and more control over how their protected health information
is used and disclosed.
4.
Patient Rights
Patients havethe right:
• To receive a copy of Ridgeview Institutes
Notice of Privacy Practices
• To request restrictions on disclosures of
Protected Health Information
• To receive an accounting of disclosures
• To request an alternate means of
communication, such as sending mail to a P.O.
Box versus home address.
• To request an amendment to their protected
health information.
• To complain if they feel their privacy rights
have been violated.
5.
Right to Complain
Patientshave the right to complain if they feel their privacy
rights have been violated.
Refer patients with complaints about privacy violations
to Ridgeview Institute’s Privacy Officer.
Anita Thomas ext. 2801
HIPAAprivacyofficer@ridgeviewinstitute.com
6.
Protecting Patient Confidentiality
Asa healthcare worker, you must do your best to keep
patient information confidential, regardless of whether you
know the patient.
Discussing PHI with individuals not involved in the patient’s care
is a violation of the patient’s rights!
Each Ridgeview work force member is responsible for
maintaining and protecting the privacy and confidentiality of
patients, family members, visitors, and co-workers.
7.
What is PHI?
Allprotected health information (PHI) is subject to federal
HIPAA regulation, which refers to any information that
identifies a patient and relates to at least one of the following:
1. The individual's past, present, or
future physical or mental health
2. The provision of health care to the
individual
3. Past, present, or future payment
for health care
Information that can identify an individual
includes either the individual's name
or any other information that could
enable someone to determine the
individual's identity.
8.
PHI & ePHI
Definitions
ProtectedHealth Information (PHI)
is all individually identifiable health
information held or transmitted by
Ridgeview in any form or media
whether electronic, paper records,
fax documents or oral
communications.
ePHI is all individually identifiable
health information that Ridgeview
creates, receives, maintains or
transmits in electronic form.
Types of Identifying Health Information
Name
Address
All elements (except years) of dates related to an
individual (including birth date, admission date,
discharge date, date of death, and exact age if over
89)
Telephone numbers
FAX number
Email address
Social Security number
Medical record number
Health plan beneficiary number
Account number
Certificate/license number
Any vehicle or other device serial number
Device identifiers or serial numbers
Web URL
IP address
Finger or voice prints
Photographic images
Any other characteristic that could uniquely identify
the individual
9.
Physical Safeguards
Additional requiredsteps include:
• Never leave your PC unattended while you are logged
in.
• Never share your log in password with anyone. It is a
violation of Ridgeview Policy to share your password
or log-in credentials.
• Keep your computer monitor positioned out of public
view.
• Hold your conversations with patient/family in areas
where PHI is not easily overheard.
• Secure areas where protected health information is
located.
Ridgeview Institute takes measures to provide physical safeguards by limiting
physical access to facilities where PHI is stored and requiring employees to
wear authorized ID badges at all times while on campus.
10.
Inappropriate access toPHI
It is a blatant violation of patient privacy to view someone’s record
for reasons outside of your role at Ridgeview Institute.
Those authorized to view a patient’s record are allowed to do so
only as needed to perform their job.
This limited access includes restrictions to accessing Hard
Copies (Paper Records) and Electronic Data Records.
11.
HIPAA–Minimum Necessary
Requirement
HIPAA callson health care workers to use the minimum
amount of patient information they need to do their jobs
efficiently and effectively.
Ask yourself:
– Do I need this information to do my job and provide good patient
care?
– What is the least amount of information I need to do my job?
– What is the minimum amount I need to share with other to
provide quality patient care?
12.
Disclosure of PHI
HIPAArequires an authorization signed by the patient or the
patients’ legal guardian before any PHI may be communicated
verbally or in writing to another party.
Federal regulations require documentation of what information was released, the
date released, and who released the information, be recorded in the medical
record. This may be documented at the bottom of the Authorization To Release
Information Form.
13.
Exceptions to Disclosure
Medical Emergencies
Reporting of Suspected Abuse (child or elder)
Reporting of Communicable Diseases
Court Order
Investigations by Department of Health and Human
Services for HIPAA compliance.
14.
Disposal of PHI
HIPAArequires Protected Health Information (PHI) to be kept
confidential even when it’s being thrown away.
It is the responsibility of ALL Ridgeview work force members to
dispose of anything with PHI in a locked trash bin designated for
disposal of confidential information.
15.
Misdirected Faxes withPHI
Misdirected faxes are not uncommon in the
daily operations of a healthcare facility.
A Ridgeview employee who
unintentionally sends a fax with PHI to
the wrong party should report the
incident to their supervisor or
Ridgeview’s HIPAA Privacy Officer
immediately at x2801 or email
HIPAAPrivacyOfficer@ridgeviewinstitute.com
In addition, all print jobs should be
picked up IMMEDIATELY from the
printer and should never be left
unattended.
Ridgeview’s HIPAA Privacy Officer
16.
Health Information Technologyfor
Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH)
Act
The HITECH Act (law) strengthens HIPAA enforcement. It includes
provisions that call for increased monetary penalties for violation of HIPAA
privacy and security regulations, new patient information breach notification
requirements, and increased privacy rights for patients.
HITECH established four tiered ranges of increasing minimum penalty
amounts, with a maximum penalty of $1.5 million for all violations of an
identical nature during a calendar year.
Depending on the circumstances, federal or state law may permit civil or
criminal litigation and/or restitution, fines, and/or penalties (including jail
time) for actions violating HIPAA.
Ridgeview Sanction Policy which could include termination of employment
depending on the severity of the violation.
A recent example in the news, a hospital in
Massachusetts agreed to pay a $1 million dollar
fine as a result of an incident involving the loss and
disclosure of PHI of 192 patients.
17.
Breach Notification (HITECH)
Ifit is determined there is a breach of
PHI, certain entities must be notified:
Individual whose privacy has been
violated
Office of Civil Rights under the DHHS
Media (over 500 individuals)
Business Associates must report
violations to the Covered Entity
18.
Business Associates (BAs)
HIPAAgoverns Business Associates who contract
with Ridgeview Institute and use or have access
to protected health information (PHI).
Penalties and sanctions are applied directly to
BAs violating Privacy and Security regulations.
19.
RVI Intranet: HIPAARelated SPPs
1.2 Business Associates
1.6 Confidentiality
7.1 Personnel Security
7.2 Workstation Use
7.3 E-mail, Internet, & Intranet Use
14.24 Faxing Employee Healthcare Info.
15.2 Release of Protected Health Information
20.
HIPAA Related SPPs(continued)
15.3 Completion of Medical Record
15.4 Faxing Patient Information
15.5 Amendment to Protected Health Information
15.6 Right to Request Privacy Protection
15.7 Sanctions for Non-Compliance with HIPAA
15.8 Privacy Complaints
15.9 Notices of Privacy Practices of PHI
15.13 Request for Accounting of Disclosures
15.10 Patient Access to Medical Records