This document provides information on how to implement HIPAA compliance. It begins by explaining what HIPAA is and who it impacts, such as health care providers, health plans, and clearinghouses. It defines protected health information and the obligations of covered entities and business associates. It emphasizes the importance of having business associate agreements, security policies, training programs, and conducting audits. It provides tips for securing data transmission, backups, access controls, and shredding paper records. The document stresses that HIPAA compliance is essential to avoid penalties for violations and data breaches.
The top 3 HIPAA violations could be happening under your watch.
1. Inadequate Tracking of Media
2. Inadequate Security
3. Inadequate Policies
If you deal with ePHI, you must comply. Find out how to remain compliant with our tips.
This guide to designed to help private doctors and small clinics understand the HIPPA regulation and get them ready for an audit. The guide contains several checklists that will guide them step by step to make sure everything is done to create and secure and EMR network
Presentation designed to explain Business Associates the basics of HIPAA and real-life examples of cases that failed to implement and follow HIPAA requirements on a timely basis.
Application Developers Guide to HIPAA ComplianceTrueVault
Software developers building mobile health applications need to be HIPAA compliant if their application will be collecting and sharing protected health information. This free plain language guide gives developers everything they need to know about mobile health app development and HIPAA.
Not every mHealth app needs to be HIPAA compliant. Not sure whether your mHealth application needs to be HIPAA compliant or not? Read the guide to find out!
The top 3 HIPAA violations could be happening under your watch.
1. Inadequate Tracking of Media
2. Inadequate Security
3. Inadequate Policies
If you deal with ePHI, you must comply. Find out how to remain compliant with our tips.
This guide to designed to help private doctors and small clinics understand the HIPPA regulation and get them ready for an audit. The guide contains several checklists that will guide them step by step to make sure everything is done to create and secure and EMR network
Presentation designed to explain Business Associates the basics of HIPAA and real-life examples of cases that failed to implement and follow HIPAA requirements on a timely basis.
Application Developers Guide to HIPAA ComplianceTrueVault
Software developers building mobile health applications need to be HIPAA compliant if their application will be collecting and sharing protected health information. This free plain language guide gives developers everything they need to know about mobile health app development and HIPAA.
Not every mHealth app needs to be HIPAA compliant. Not sure whether your mHealth application needs to be HIPAA compliant or not? Read the guide to find out!
Dental Compliance for Dentists and Business Associatesgppcpa
This presentation will discuss covered entities, protected health information (PHI) as it relates to dental practices and business associates of those practices.It will update you on major legislation relating to patient privacy laws and explain why PHI Information is important and the consequences for non-compliance with state and federal laws.
Assessing Your Hosting Environment for HIPAA ComplianceHostway|HOSTING
When you’re striving to be HIPAA compliant, the idea of third-party hosting can be daunting. Learn the key elements to consider when assessing your hosting environment for HIPAA compliance.
The current healthcare system in the United States is heavily influenced by HIPAA Security. This translates into a need to understand technology and cybersecurity beyond the use of anti-malware applications. This presentation presents some of the basics Covered Entities and Business Associates must be aware of as it relates to HIPAA Security.
Information Governance – What Does a Modern Program Look Like?Winston & Strawn LLP
Corporations are increasingly focused on the importance of information governance, which is the process of managing the creation, flow, storage, and disposition of information from differing perspectives and disciplines. These include: records management; data security; protection of confidential business information; electronic discovery; and privacy.
Specifically, this presentation provides an in-depth discussion on designing and implementing a modern information governance program, covering the following topics:
Staffing
Policies
Tool sets
Education
Auditing
SME- Developing an information governance strategy 2016 Hybrid Cloud
This white paper discusses the variety of challenges focused on information governance and also offers a variety of recommendations about what organizations can do to improve their information governance practices. The paper also provides a brief overview of its sponsor – StorageMadeEasy – and the company’s relevant solutions.
The lack of good information governance has brought us to an inflection point:
decision makers must gain control of their information to enable innovation, profit
and growth; or continue down the current path of information anarchy and
potentially lose out to competitors who are better able to govern their information.
Managing Privacy Risk and Promoting Ethical Culture in the Digital AgePerficient, Inc.
Businesses that responsibly manage privacy and educate their customers about their privacy practices benefit greatly - especially with regard to positive brand development.
Cyber Risk in Healthcare Industry- Are you Protected? Mark Merrill
WE BUILD CORE HANDS-ON ON INFORMATION SECURITY SKILLS FOR ALL LEVELS AND DEPARTMENTS- It has already been two years since hackers shifted their main focus from BFSI sector to healthcare industry aggressively targeting hospitals all over the world, while U.S. is experiencing the most severe threat. How we can help you with HIPPA security and privacy concerns. DO YOU NEED TO INVEST IN INFORMATION SECURITY TRAINING, CONSULTING AND ADVISORY?
Complying with Singapore Personal Data Protection Act - A Practical GuideDaniel Li
A practical guide of how to comply with the provisions in Singapore Personal Data Protection Act from people, process, and technology (Microsoft specific) perspective.
Information Governance, Managing Data To Lower Risk and Costs, and E-Discover...David Kearney
Information governance, records and information management, and data disposition policies are ways to help lower costs and mitigate risks for organizations. Policies and procedures to actively manage data are not just an IT "problem," they're a collaborative business initiative that is a must in today's "big data" environment. With electronic discovery rules, government regulations and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, all organizations must proactively take steps to manage their data with well-governed processes and controls, or be willing to face the risks and costs that come along with keeping everything. Organizations must know what information they have, where it is located, the duration data must be retained and what information would be needed when responding to an event.
There have been numerous instances of severe legal penalties for organizations that did not have an electronic data strategy, tools, processes and controls to locate and understand their own data. In addition, the risks of unmanaged data include skyrocketing infrastructure and personnel costs and an increase in attorney time to manage massive amounts of data when a litigation event occurs.
Information governance is needed much like any business continuity and disaster recovery plans, but with an understanding of data: where data are located, how data are managed, event response, and regular testing of processes and procedures for preparedness.
Understanding the Importance of HIPAA Compliance in Medical Billing Software.pdfOmniMD Healthcare
These days, it is essential that medical billing software be compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, 1996 (HIPAA). This is because of several reasons. Mainly, HIPAA compliance ensures the safety and privacy of electronic health information. The act also lays the foundation for creating national standards to safeguard private patient information.
Dental Compliance for Dentists and Business Associatesgppcpa
This presentation will discuss covered entities, protected health information (PHI) as it relates to dental practices and business associates of those practices.It will update you on major legislation relating to patient privacy laws and explain why PHI Information is important and the consequences for non-compliance with state and federal laws.
Assessing Your Hosting Environment for HIPAA ComplianceHostway|HOSTING
When you’re striving to be HIPAA compliant, the idea of third-party hosting can be daunting. Learn the key elements to consider when assessing your hosting environment for HIPAA compliance.
The current healthcare system in the United States is heavily influenced by HIPAA Security. This translates into a need to understand technology and cybersecurity beyond the use of anti-malware applications. This presentation presents some of the basics Covered Entities and Business Associates must be aware of as it relates to HIPAA Security.
Information Governance – What Does a Modern Program Look Like?Winston & Strawn LLP
Corporations are increasingly focused on the importance of information governance, which is the process of managing the creation, flow, storage, and disposition of information from differing perspectives and disciplines. These include: records management; data security; protection of confidential business information; electronic discovery; and privacy.
Specifically, this presentation provides an in-depth discussion on designing and implementing a modern information governance program, covering the following topics:
Staffing
Policies
Tool sets
Education
Auditing
SME- Developing an information governance strategy 2016 Hybrid Cloud
This white paper discusses the variety of challenges focused on information governance and also offers a variety of recommendations about what organizations can do to improve their information governance practices. The paper also provides a brief overview of its sponsor – StorageMadeEasy – and the company’s relevant solutions.
The lack of good information governance has brought us to an inflection point:
decision makers must gain control of their information to enable innovation, profit
and growth; or continue down the current path of information anarchy and
potentially lose out to competitors who are better able to govern their information.
Managing Privacy Risk and Promoting Ethical Culture in the Digital AgePerficient, Inc.
Businesses that responsibly manage privacy and educate their customers about their privacy practices benefit greatly - especially with regard to positive brand development.
Cyber Risk in Healthcare Industry- Are you Protected? Mark Merrill
WE BUILD CORE HANDS-ON ON INFORMATION SECURITY SKILLS FOR ALL LEVELS AND DEPARTMENTS- It has already been two years since hackers shifted their main focus from BFSI sector to healthcare industry aggressively targeting hospitals all over the world, while U.S. is experiencing the most severe threat. How we can help you with HIPPA security and privacy concerns. DO YOU NEED TO INVEST IN INFORMATION SECURITY TRAINING, CONSULTING AND ADVISORY?
Complying with Singapore Personal Data Protection Act - A Practical GuideDaniel Li
A practical guide of how to comply with the provisions in Singapore Personal Data Protection Act from people, process, and technology (Microsoft specific) perspective.
Information Governance, Managing Data To Lower Risk and Costs, and E-Discover...David Kearney
Information governance, records and information management, and data disposition policies are ways to help lower costs and mitigate risks for organizations. Policies and procedures to actively manage data are not just an IT "problem," they're a collaborative business initiative that is a must in today's "big data" environment. With electronic discovery rules, government regulations and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, all organizations must proactively take steps to manage their data with well-governed processes and controls, or be willing to face the risks and costs that come along with keeping everything. Organizations must know what information they have, where it is located, the duration data must be retained and what information would be needed when responding to an event.
There have been numerous instances of severe legal penalties for organizations that did not have an electronic data strategy, tools, processes and controls to locate and understand their own data. In addition, the risks of unmanaged data include skyrocketing infrastructure and personnel costs and an increase in attorney time to manage massive amounts of data when a litigation event occurs.
Information governance is needed much like any business continuity and disaster recovery plans, but with an understanding of data: where data are located, how data are managed, event response, and regular testing of processes and procedures for preparedness.
Understanding the Importance of HIPAA Compliance in Medical Billing Software.pdfOmniMD Healthcare
These days, it is essential that medical billing software be compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, 1996 (HIPAA). This is because of several reasons. Mainly, HIPAA compliance ensures the safety and privacy of electronic health information. The act also lays the foundation for creating national standards to safeguard private patient information.
HIPAA-Compliant App Development Guide for the Healthcare Industry.pdfSuccessiveDigital
This is an article about HIPAA-compliant app development for the healthcare industry. It discusses the importance of HIPAA compliance and the risks of non-compliance. The article also outlines the steps involved in developing a HIPAA-compliant app. Some of the important points from this article are that HIPAA compliance is an ongoing process and that there is no certification required to build a HIPAA-secure app.
What is HIPAA Compliance?
HIPAA stands for the Healthcare Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. This specifies laws for the protection and use of Personal (or Protected) Health Information (PHI) - essentially, your medical record. HIPAA sets the standard for protecting sensitive patient data. The Administrative Simplification provisions of the Act (HIPAA, Title II) require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to adopt certain national standards. These cover electronic health care transactions, and national identifiers for providers, health plans, and employers.
Physical, network, and process security measures are involved. The HIPAA Privacy Rule covers the saving, accessing and sharing of medical and personal information for any individual. The HIPAA Security Rule outlines national security standards to protect health data created, received, maintained or transmitted electronically - also known as electronic protected health information (ePHI).
Meeting these standards? That's compliance.
Constructing a HIPAA-compliant healthcare app from scratchTechugo
However, the protection of digitally stored data is essential. That’s where the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA compliance, occurs. For every entrepreneur wanting to develop their own healthcare application, it is essential to understand this act clearly.
So, ensure to read throughout the post.
Does your Mobile App require HIPAA Compliance.pdfShelly Megan
HIPPA or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is mandatory for healthcare apps handling PHI (Personal Health Information) like identifiable patient information; Covered Entities like healthcare service providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses; and the business associates of covered entities.
Better known as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, HIPPA law has been initiated to achieve consumer protection in 1996. HIPPA protects customers from theft, financial scams, fake transactions, and also prevents exploitation or injustice done to customers while they are opting for healthcare facilities or for certain policies.
Privacy and Security What types of health care data are protected u.pdfbadshetoms
Portia Grant is an employee who is paid monthly. For the month of January of the current year,
she earned a total of $8,260. The FICA tax for social security is 6.2% of the first $118,500
earned each calendar year and the FICA tax rate for Medicare is 1.45% of all earnings. The
FUTA tax rate of 0.6% and the SUTA tax rate of 5.4% are applied to the first $7,000 of an
employee’s pay. The amount of federal income tax withheld from her earnings was $1,325.17.
What is the total amount of taxes withheld from the Portia’s earnings? (Round your intermediate
calculations to two decimal places.)
A- $3,097.17
B- $2,443.21
C- $1,957.06
D- $1,722.00
E- $1,495.36
Solution
The Answer is “C- $1,957.06”
Total amount of taxes withheld from the Portia’s earnings = $1957.06
Total amount of taxes withheld = Federal Income Tax + FICA tax for social security + FICA tax
rate for Medicare
= $1,325.17 + [ $8,260 x 6.20%] + [$8,260 x 0.60%]
= $1,325.17 + 512.12 + 119.77
= $1,957.06.
We explain what your business needs to know about the HIPAA Omnibus Rule and share tips for evaluating secure cloud backup solutions that can facilitate compliance with regulatory requirements.
A brief introduction to hipaa compliancePrince George
As you can imagine, complying with federal regulations around privacy and healthcare data is no small task. This presentation is to help you wade through what you need to know about HIPAA compliance as it relates to your application and what steps you’ll need to take to ensure you don’t end up in violation of the law.
There is plenty to research about HIPAA guidelines. This presentation is not meant to be comprehensive, but rather give you a framework and reference to help you understand the major portions of the law.
CHAPTER 1 SEMESTER V - ROLE OF PEADIATRIC NURSE.pdfSachin Sharma
Pediatric nurses play a vital role in the health and well-being of children. Their responsibilities are wide-ranging, and their objectives can be categorized into several key areas:
1. Direct Patient Care:
Objective: Provide comprehensive and compassionate care to infants, children, and adolescents in various healthcare settings (hospitals, clinics, etc.).
This includes tasks like:
Monitoring vital signs and physical condition.
Administering medications and treatments.
Performing procedures as directed by doctors.
Assisting with daily living activities (bathing, feeding).
Providing emotional support and pain management.
2. Health Promotion and Education:
Objective: Promote healthy behaviors and educate children, families, and communities about preventive healthcare.
This includes tasks like:
Administering vaccinations.
Providing education on nutrition, hygiene, and development.
Offering breastfeeding and childbirth support.
Counseling families on safety and injury prevention.
3. Collaboration and Advocacy:
Objective: Collaborate effectively with doctors, social workers, therapists, and other healthcare professionals to ensure coordinated care for children.
Objective: Advocate for the rights and best interests of their patients, especially when children cannot speak for themselves.
This includes tasks like:
Communicating effectively with healthcare teams.
Identifying and addressing potential risks to child welfare.
Educating families about their child's condition and treatment options.
4. Professional Development and Research:
Objective: Stay up-to-date on the latest advancements in pediatric healthcare through continuing education and research.
Objective: Contribute to improving the quality of care for children by participating in research initiatives.
This includes tasks like:
Attending workshops and conferences on pediatric nursing.
Participating in clinical trials related to child health.
Implementing evidence-based practices into their daily routines.
By fulfilling these objectives, pediatric nurses play a crucial role in ensuring the optimal health and well-being of children throughout all stages of their development.
India Clinical Trials Market: Industry Size and Growth Trends [2030] Analyzed...Kumar Satyam
According to TechSci Research report, "India Clinical Trials Market- By Region, Competition, Forecast & Opportunities, 2030F," the India Clinical Trials Market was valued at USD 2.05 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.64% through 2030. The market is driven by a variety of factors, making India an attractive destination for pharmaceutical companies and researchers. India's vast and diverse patient population, cost-effective operational environment, and a large pool of skilled medical professionals contribute significantly to the market's growth. Additionally, increasing government support in streamlining regulations and the growing prevalence of lifestyle diseases further propel the clinical trials market.
Growing Prevalence of Lifestyle Diseases
The rising incidence of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer is a major trend driving the clinical trials market in India. These conditions necessitate the development and testing of new treatment methods, creating a robust demand for clinical trials. The increasing burden of these diseases highlights the need for innovative therapies and underscores the importance of India as a key player in global clinical research.
Global launch of the Healthy Ageing and Prevention Index 2nd wave – alongside...ILC- UK
The Healthy Ageing and Prevention Index is an online tool created by ILC that ranks countries on six metrics including, life span, health span, work span, income, environmental performance, and happiness. The Index helps us understand how well countries have adapted to longevity and inform decision makers on what must be done to maximise the economic benefits that comes with living well for longer.
Alongside the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva on 28 May 2024, we launched the second version of our Index, allowing us to track progress and give new insights into what needs to be done to keep populations healthier for longer.
The speakers included:
Professor Orazio Schillaci, Minister of Health, Italy
Dr Hans Groth, Chairman of the Board, World Demographic & Ageing Forum
Professor Ilona Kickbusch, Founder and Chair, Global Health Centre, Geneva Graduate Institute and co-chair, World Health Summit Council
Dr Natasha Azzopardi Muscat, Director, Country Health Policies and Systems Division, World Health Organisation EURO
Dr Marta Lomazzi, Executive Manager, World Federation of Public Health Associations
Dr Shyam Bishen, Head, Centre for Health and Healthcare and Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum
Dr Karin Tegmark Wisell, Director General, Public Health Agency of Sweden
Defecation
Normal defecation begins with movement in the left colon, moving stool toward the anus. When stool reaches the rectum, the distention causes relaxation of the internal sphincter and an awareness of the need to defecate. At the time of defecation, the external sphincter relaxes, and abdominal muscles contract, increasing intrarectal pressure and forcing the stool out
The Valsalva maneuver exerts pressure to expel faeces through a voluntary contraction of the abdominal muscles while maintaining forced expiration against a closed airway. Patients with cardiovascular disease, glaucoma, increased intracranial pressure, or a new surgical wound are at greater risk for cardiac dysrhythmias and elevated blood pressure with the Valsalva maneuver and need to avoid straining to pass the stool.
Normal defecation is painless, resulting in passage of soft, formed stool
CONSTIPATION
Constipation is a symptom, not a disease. Improper diet, reduced fluid intake, lack of exercise, and certain medications can cause constipation. For example, patients receiving opiates for pain after surgery often require a stool softener or laxative to prevent constipation. The signs of constipation include infrequent bowel movements (less than every 3 days), difficulty passing stools, excessive straining, inability to defecate at will, and hard feaces
IMPACTION
Fecal impaction results from unrelieved constipation. It is a collection of hardened feces wedged in the rectum that a person cannot expel. In cases of severe impaction the mass extends up into the sigmoid colon.
DIARRHEA
Diarrhea is an increase in the number of stools and the passage of liquid, unformed feces. It is associated with disorders affecting digestion, absorption, and secretion in the GI tract. Intestinal contents pass through the small and large intestine too quickly to allow for the usual absorption of fluid and nutrients. Irritation within the colon results in increased mucus secretion. As a result, feces become watery, and the patient is unable to control the urge to defecate. Normally an anal bag is safe and effective in long-term treatment of patients with fecal incontinence at home, in hospice, or in the hospital. Fecal incontinence is expensive and a potentially dangerous condition in terms of contamination and risk of skin ulceration
HEMORRHOIDS
Hemorrhoids are dilated, engorged veins in the lining of the rectum. They are either external or internal.
FLATULENCE
As gas accumulates in the lumen of the intestines, the bowel wall stretches and distends (flatulence). It is a common cause of abdominal fullness, pain, and cramping. Normally intestinal gas escapes through the mouth (belching) or the anus (passing of flatus)
FECAL INCONTINENCE
Fecal incontinence is the inability to control passage of feces and gas from the anus. Incontinence harms a patient’s body image
PREPARATION AND GIVING OF LAXATIVESACCORDING TO POTTER AND PERRY,
An enema is the instillation of a solution into the rectum and sig
Explore our infographic on 'Essential Metrics for Palliative Care Management' which highlights key performance indicators crucial for enhancing the quality and efficiency of palliative care services.
This visual guide breaks down important metrics across four categories: Patient-Centered Metrics, Care Efficiency Metrics, Quality of Life Metrics, and Staff Metrics. Each section is designed to help healthcare professionals monitor and improve care delivery for patients facing serious illnesses. Understand how to implement these metrics in your palliative care practices for better outcomes and higher satisfaction levels.
How many patients does case series should have In comparison to case reports.pdfpubrica101
Pubrica’s team of researchers and writers create scientific and medical research articles, which may be important resources for authors and practitioners. Pubrica medical writers assist you in creating and revising the introduction by alerting the reader to gaps in the chosen study subject. Our professionals understand the order in which the hypothesis topic is followed by the broad subject, the issue, and the backdrop.
https://pubrica.com/academy/case-study-or-series/how-many-patients-does-case-series-should-have-in-comparison-to-case-reports/
2. WHAT IS HIPAA
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA;
Pub.L. 104–191, 110 Stat. 1936, enacted August 21, 1996) was enacted by the
United States Congress and signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996. It has been
known as the Kennedy-Kassebaum Act after two of its leading sponsors. Title I of
HIPAA protects health insurance coverage for workers and their families when
they change or lose their jobs. Title II of HIPAA, known as the Administrative
Simplification (AS) provisions, requires the establishment of national standards for
electronic health care transactions and national identifiers for providers, health
insurance plans, and employers.
This act gives the right to privacy to individuals from age 12 through 18. The
provider must have a signed disclosure from the affected before giving out any
information on provided health care to anyone, including parents.
The administrative simplification provisions also address the security and privacy
of health data. The standards are meant to improve the efficiency and
effectiveness of the nation's health care system by encouraging the widespread
use of electronic data interchange in the U.S. health care system.
www.wikipedia.com
3.
4.
5. WHO IS IMPACTED? DO I NEED TO
CARE?
Health care providers – A provider of medical, psychiatric, or other health
services, and any other person or entity furnishing health care services or supplies.
Health plans – an individual or group health plan that provides or pays the cost of
medical care.
Clearinghouses – A public or private entity that processes or facilitates the
processing of non-standard data elements of health information into standard data
elements and who transmits any health information in electronic form in
connection with a transaction covered in the legislation.
Business Associates and Trading Partners
6. WHAT IS PROTECTED HEALTH
INFORMATION
A person’s name, address, birth date, age, phone and fax numbers, e-mail address
Medical records, diagnosis, x-rays, photos, prescriptions, lab work, test results
Billing records, claim data, referral authorizations, explanation of benefits
Research records
Past, Present or Future condition or payment
7. Covered Entity (CE)
Any business entity that must comply with HIPAA regulations, which includes health-
care providers, health plans and health-care clearinghouses. For purposes of
HIPAA, health-care providers include hospitals, physicians and other caregivers. This
would include:
County Boards of DD
Private Providers
Agency Providers
Therapy Providers
Nursing Providers
Behavioral Support Providers
8. Business Associate (BA)
A person or organization that performs a function or activity on behalf of a
covered entity, but is not part of the covered entity's workforce. A business
associate can also be a covered entity in its own right. This would include
any VENDOR or CONTRACTOR that comes in contact with individuals or
their information. Some examples……
Billing Agents
IT Providers
Software Providers (Intellinetics, Gatekeeper, CareTracker, Solona to name a
few)
Shredding Companies
Contracted Service Providers
COGS
Housing Providers
A Covered Entity must have a Business Associate Agreement on file for all
vendors classified as a Business Associate
9. Must establish the permitted and required uses and disclosures of protected
health information by the business associate and may not authorize further
disclosure in violation of the regulations
If the covered entity knows of a practice or pattern of activity that constitutes
a material breach of the business associate’s obligations under the contract,
the covered entity must take reasonable steps to ensure cure of the breach or
terminate the contract or report the problem to the Office of Civil Rights
BUSINESS ASSOCIATES CONTRACTS
MUST………
10. BUSINESS ASSOCIATES
OBLIGATIONS
Must not use or disclose protected health information in violation of the law or
contract.
Implement safeguards against improper use or disclosure.
Ensure that any agents or subcontractors agree to fulfill contractual and legal
obligations.
Afford individual access to records; make available records for amendment by the
individual; account to the individual for use or disclosure other than for payment,
treatment, or operations.
At termination of the contract, return or destroy protected health information.
12. JUST GIVE ME THE POLICIES
ALREADY
Policies should reflect how your organization is handling the
requirements of HIPAA
These policies should be reviewed annually at a minimum to ensure that
the policy is staying current with the organization and technology
Staff MUST be trained on HIPAA policies at least annually; keeping it out
in front on staff needs to be on going
13. Hardware, Software and Transmission Security
Organizations should have a hardware firewall in place. Transmission of personal
information should be encrypted and comply with HIPAA. Policies should cover the
updating of hardware, firmware, operating systems and applications.
Disaster Backup and Recovery Plans
Policies and Procedures should include a Disaster Backup and Recovery plan to ensure
the business can continue operations in the event of a disaster. This includes keeping
the business running, recovering lost data, testing of backup procedures and
replacement of equipment.
Training of Staff
Organizations should provide a training program to raise awareness of HIPAA rights.
Every individual in the organization must be trained on a regular basis. Training should
be provided to include employee awareness, password safeguarding and
changing, workstation access, software use, virus and malware information and other
mission critical operations.
Record and Information Access
Policies should define roles on who can have what access to programs and information.
These policies should further define the roles in information technology of the IT
personnel who have the rights to modify the access.
14. Some things to think about with Data Security
Secure Email System - Encryption
Secure File Transfer
Secure Website for Data transfer (if applicable)
Do we have a written Disaster Backup and Recovery Plan
Where is it
Who’s in charge of the plan
Have you tested your plan
Do you provide HIPAA training to all new staff and ongoing refresher
trainings (so it’s always kept out in front of staff)…do you test your staff
Who has access to staff and consumer information
Secure passwords(complex, set change schedule)
Systems set up so a user can access only needed information
Files saved with Password Protection
15. DO YOU AUDIT YOUR HIPAA
PROCESS
An audit process should be in place for your HIPAA process. It should
include
Hardware
Software
Data Controls
Department of Health and Human Services requires the Office of Civil Rights
(OCR) to audit covered entities and business associates compliance with
HIPAA Privacy, Security and Breach Notification Rules (See Audit Program
Protocol)Organizations responsible for HIPAA-covered data
now face one-in-20 odds of facing a HIPAA audit
16. SHREDDING PAPER THE HIPAA
WAYIn general, examples of proper disposal methods may include, but are not
limited to:
• For PHI in paper records,
Shredding Burning Pulping
Pulverizing
PHI is rendered essentially unreadable, indecipherable, and otherwise
cannot be reconstructed.
• Maintaining labeled prescription bottles and other PHI in opaque bags in a
secure area and using a disposal vendor as a business associate to pick up
and shred or otherwise destroy the PHI.
• For PHI on electronic media, clearing (using software or hardware products
to overwrite media with non-sensitive data), purging (degaussing or exposing
the media to a strong magnetic field in order to disrupt the recorded magnetic
domains), or destroying the media (disintegration, pulverization, melting,
incinerating, or shredding).
17. SECURITY FOR THOSE ON THE
Step 1: Assess your mobile users –
Understanding your users and their use cases is the first step toward
HIPAA compliance. Mobile devices are becoming increasingly common as
the industry rapidly converts from paper to electronic media.
Because of this, IT must now support a wide variety of ePHI, including
electronic patient records, email, multiple provider health care records and
clinical drug trial results. This mission is complicated by device ownership.
In typical scenarios, IT supports staff using personal devices to access
sensitive information. Now, in some cases—IT also issues user devices.
Documenting the flow of health care information to and from users and
their mobile devices is the upfront work that has to be completed before IT
can develop a comprehensive security strategy for remote access of ePHI.
18. Step 2: Bulletproof your security strategy
Privacyrights.org reported that in 2007 46 health care data breaches
occurred, involving 62 stolen or lost laptops with five million identities
compromised. The publicity surrounding these breaches has motivated many
IT organizations to develop a strategy to secure their laptops with data
encryption and password protection. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said
for handheld devices.
What organizations may miss is that rapidly evolving smartphones and PDAs are quickly becoming
the everyday PC, with multiple modes of communication, significant processing power and large
storage capabilities. This by itself makes today's mobile devices subject to the same risks as laptops.
However, handheld mobile devices have several characteristics that make them even more
vulnerable than laptops. Their small size makes them substantially more likely to be lost or stolen,
and their low cost enables users to easily replace them if lost. Unlike IT-issued laptops, users do not
have a compelling reason to report a data breach if they can easily replace the device for a low cost.
19. Step 3: Build your security solution
Unfortunately, the CMS guidance creates multiple technical
challenges for IT departments including endpoint security, network
access control and user compliance.
So what should IT look for in a solution? Laptop support is a
must, but ultimately full HIPAA compliance also requires robust
support across a diverse set of handheld mobile devices, use cases
and ownership scenarios. The ideal system must include:
A self-service portal to allow end-users to load security software and
policies on personal devices.
A flexible device agent that enables IT to secure and manage a wide
variety of device platforms for phones and tablets.
Policy-controlled security that protects against hacker access and device
loss.
A centralized management console with integrated help desk capabilities
to simplify policy implementation and user support.
A compliance management and reporting facility to ensure users adhere
to IT policy
20. Step 4: Enforce your policies
An organization's HIPAA security policies are only effective if users comply
with them — so make sure that your mobile device security policies are
understood, by all users and enforced.
OCR will be looking to ensure that policies were followed if there is a data
breach.
Policies need to be enforced with no respect to person/position.
21. Step 5: Go public
Advertise your efforts in HIPAA compliance
Marketing Material
Website
County and State agencies
Individuals and Families served
22. SO WHAT ARE THEY REALLY LOOKING FOR
Employee training and review
Vigilant implementation of policies and procedures
Regular internal audits
Prompt action plan to respond to incidents
Risk analysis and ongoing risk management (Security Rule)
OCR Presentation February 2014
23. SCAN…..ITS A BIG DEAL
One sure fire way of protecting yourself in
a disaster, audits or HIPAA is to scan
documents
Lots of options out there for scanning and
Protecting the information
Any IMPORTANT paper that cannot be
recreated needs to be scanned
Some are here at the conference…check
them out
25. REAL LIFE VIOLATIONS
Initial early penalties for HIPAA violations were described as a "joke," with
most enterprises unmoved by the risk of paying out potential settlements.
However, the passage of the Health Information Technology for Economic
and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act in February 2009 completely changed this
attitude, with HIPAA penalties now reaching millions of dollars.
Cases in point:
Cignet's $4.3 million fine in 2011 for denying patients access to medical
records
$1.5 million fine to Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary for a data
compromise involving a lost laptop.
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/administrat
ive/breachnotificationrule/breachtool.html
26. HIPAA
COMPLIANCE/ENFORCEMENT
(AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2012)
TOTAL (since 2003)
Complaints Filed 77,200
Cases Investigated 27,500
Cases with Corrective Action 18,600
Civil Monetary Penalties &
Resolution Agreements (since
2008)
$14.9 million
Information from OCR Presentation to Tech Alliance February 2014
Title I: Health Care Access, Portability, and Renewability[edit]Title I of HIPAA regulates the availability and breadth of group health plans and certain individual health insurance policies. It amended the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, the Public Health Service Act, and the Internal Revenue Code.Title I also limits restrictions that a group health plan can place on benefits for preexisting conditions. Group health plans may refuse to provide benefits relating to preexisting conditions for a period of 12 months after enrollment in the plan or 18 months in the case of late enrollment.[5] However, individuals may reduce this exclusion period if they had group health plan coverage or health insurance prior to enrolling in the plan. Title I allows individuals to reduce the exclusion period by the amount of time that they had "creditable coverage" prior to enrolling in the plan and after any "significant breaks" in coverage.[6] "Creditable coverage" is defined quite broadly and includes nearly all group and individual health plans, Medicare, and Medicaid.[7] A "significant break" in coverage is defined as any 63 day period without any creditable coverage.[8]Some health care plans are exempted from Title I requirements, such as long-term health plans and limited-scope plans such as dental or vision plans that are offered separately from the general health plan. However, if such benefits are part of the general health plan, then HIPAA still applies to such benefits. For example, if the new plan offers dental benefits, then it must count creditable continuous coverage under the old health plan towards any of its exclusion periods for dental benefits.An alternate method of calculating creditable continuous coverage is available to the health plan under Title I. That is, 5 categories of health coverage can be considered separately, including dental and vision coverage. Anything not under those 5 categories must use the general calculation (e.g., the beneficiary may be counted with 18 months of general coverage, but only 6 months of dental coverage, because the beneficiary did not have a general health plan that covered dental until 6 months prior to the application date). Since limited-coverage plans are exempt from HIPAA requirements, the odd case exists in which the applicant to a general group health plan cannot obtain certificates of creditable continuous coverage for independent limited-scope plans such as dental to apply towards exclusion periods of the new plan that does include those coverages.Hidden exclusion periods are not valid under Title I (e.g., "The accident, to be covered, must have occurred while the beneficiary was covered under this exact same health insurance contract"). Such clauses must not be acted upon by the health plan and also must be re-written so that they comply with HIPAA.To illustrate, suppose someone enrolls in a group health plan on January 1, 2006. This person had previously been insured from January 1, 2004 until February 1, 2005 and from August 1, 2005 until December 31, 2005. To determine how much coverage can be credited against the exclusion period in the new plan, start at the enrollment date and count backwards until a significant break in coverage is reached. So, the five months of coverage between August 1, 2005 and December 31, 2005 clearly counts against the exclusion period. But the period without insurance between February 1, 2005 and August 1, 2005 is greater than 63 days. Thus, this is a significant break in coverage, and any coverage prior to it cannot be deducted from the exclusion period. So, this person could deduct five months from his exclusion period, reducing the exclusion period to seven months. Hence, Title I requires that any preexisting condition begin to be covered on August 1, 2006.Title II: Preventing Health Care Fraud and Abuse; Administrative Simplification; Medical Liability Reform[edit]This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2010) Title II of HIPAA defines policies, procedures and guidelines for maintaining the privacy and security of individually identifiable health information as well as outlining numerous offenses relating to health care and sets civil and criminal penalties for violations. It also creates several programs to control fraud and abuse within the health care system.[9][10][11] However, the most significant provisions of Title II are its Administrative Simplification rules. Title II requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to draft rules aimed at increasing the efficiency of the health care system by creating standards for the use and dissemination of health care information.These rules apply to "covered entities" as defined by HIPAA and the HHS. Covered entities include health plans, health care clearinghouses, such as billing services and community health information systems, and health care providers that transmit health care data in a way that is regulated by HIPAA.[12][13]Per the requirements of Title II, the HHS has promulgated five rules regarding Administrative Simplification: the Privacy Rule, the Transactions and Code Sets Rule, the Security Rule, the Unique Identifiers Rule, and the Enforcement Rule.Privacy Rule[edit]The effective compliance date of the Privacy Rule was April 14, 2003 with a one-year extension for certain "small plans". The HIPAA Privacy Rule regulates the use and disclosure of Protected Health Information (PHI) held by "covered entities" (generally, health care clearinghouses, employer sponsored health plans, health insurers, and medical service providers that engage in certain transactions.)[14] By regulation, the Department of Health and Human Services extended the HIPAA privacy rule to independent contractors of covered entities who fit within the definition of "business associates".[15] PHI is any information held by a covered entity which concerns health status, provision of health care, or payment for health care that can be linked to an individual.[16] This is interpreted rather broadly and includes any part of an individual's medical record or payment history. Covered entities must disclose PHI to the individual within 30 days upon request.[17] They also must disclose PHI when required to do so by law such as reporting suspected child abuse to state child welfare agencies.[18]A covered entity may disclose PHI (Protected Health Information) to facilitate treatment, payment, or health care operations without a patient's express written authorization.[19] Any other disclosures of PHI (Protected Health Information) require the covered entity to obtain written authorization from the individual for the disclosure.[20] However, when a covered entity discloses any PHI, it must make a reasonable effort to disclose only the minimum necessary information required to achieve its purpose.[21]The Privacy Rule gives individuals the right to request that a covered entity correct any inaccurate PHI.[22] It also requires covered entities to take reasonable steps to ensure the confidentiality of communications with individuals.[23] For example, an individual can ask to be called at his or her work number instead of home or cell phone numbers.The Privacy Rule requires covered entities to notify individuals of uses of their PHI. Covered entities must also keep track of disclosures of PHI and document privacy policies and procedures.[24] They must appoint a Privacy Official and a contact person[25] responsible for receiving complaints and train all members of their workforce in procedures regarding PHI.[26]An individual who believes that the Privacy Rule is not being upheld can file a complaint with the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR).[27][28] However, according to the Wall Street Journal, the OCR has a long backlog and ignores most complaints. "Complaints of privacy violations have been piling up at the Department of Health and Human Services. Between April of 2003 and November 2006, the agency fielded 23,886 complaints related to medical-privacy rules, but it has not yet taken any enforcement actions against hospitals, doctors, insurers or anyone else for rule violations. A spokesman for the agency says it has closed three-quarters of the complaints, typically because it found no violation or after it provided informal guidance to the parties involved."[29] However, in July 2011, UCLA agreed to pay $865,500 in a settlement regarding potential HIPAA violations. An HHS Office for Civil Rights investigation showed that from 2005 to 2008 unauthorized employees repeatedly and without legitimate cause looked at the electronic protected health information of numerous UCLAHS patients.[30]2013 changes to Privacy Rule[edit]In January 2013, HIPAA was updated to a rule that is often referred to as Omnibus Rule.[31] Protection of PHI was changed from indefinite to 50 years after death. More severe penalties were also approved for violation of PHI privacy.Unique Identifiers Rule (National Provider Identifier)[edit]HIPAA covered entities such as providers completing electronic transactions, healthcare clearinghouses, and large health plans, must use only the National Provider Identifier (NPI) to identify covered healthcare providers in standard transactions by May 23, 2007. Small health plans must use only the NPI by May 23, 2008.Effective from May 2006 (May 2007 for small health plans), all covered entities using electronic communications (e.g., physicians, hospitals, health insurance companies, and so forth) must use a single new NPI. The NPI replaces all other identifiers used by health plans, Medicare, Medicaid, and other government programs. However, the NPI does not replace a provider's DEA number, state license number, or tax identification number. The NPI is 10 digits (may be alphanumeric), with the last digit being a checksum. The NPI cannot contain any embedded intelligence; in other words, the NPI is simply a number that does not itself have any additional meaning. The NPI is unique and national, never re-used, and except for institutions, a provider usually can have only one. An institution may obtain multiple NPIs for different "subparts" such as a free-standing cancer center or rehab facility.