The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was brought into existence in the year 1996 with special emphasis on protecting the personal data of the patients through a host of protocols, and well enforced by a set of privacy and security rules. The law has evolved significantly since then to keep up with the changing requirements of health care. The sheer magnitude of rules has made HIPAA training a necessity if you wish to function within the guidelines of this Act.
Following are the 6 vital areas that must be covered in any HIPAA training course.
• Affected Parties: First of all you must know the different parties that have to follow the HIPAA laws. It comprises of all and everyone who has access to the personal information of the patients, and includes covered entities like health care providers, insurance companies and health insurance plan, as well the employees like physicians, nurses, dentists, human resource personnel, and the administrative staff.
• Protected Health Information (PHI): The HIPAA Privacy Rules revolve around the management of the various aspects related to PHI. A training course must tell you everything there is to know about the proper handling of PHI. You should learn about the information covered under the PHI and the different circumstances in which the data can be disclosed and when it has to be kept private. In addition you will understand the importance of proper authorization from the client when dealing with PHI.
• Data Security: Safeguarding data is another vital field that you must know, which will tell you about taking the necessary security measures and applying protocols when storing or transacting personal information. Some examples are using passwords, encryption and keeping files under lock and key. The laws cover all the data irrespective of whether they are in physical or electronic form.
• Penalties: HIPAA takes any kind of breach very seriously and will impose civil and even criminal penalties on the covered entities or employees if any violation is found. The quantum of the penalties will depend on the nature and seriousness of the breach. During training you will understand the various actions that violate the laws even when carried out unknowingly.
• Client Communication: HIPAA has given certain rights to the clients when it comes to their personal data. Accordingly the client can ask for certain modifications to be made to their database, seek clarifications, and even complain on any matter. An adequate training will help you to understand the concerns of your clients and respond to them in a timely and satisfactory manner. Remember that the client can approach a higher authority if their concerns are not addressed properly.
• In-house Policies: In addition to the general HIPAA laws you must also take adequate training to understand the in-house policies formulated by your organization so that they can be integrated with the HIPAA Rules for smoother working.
An ideal HIPAA training course will touch all the areas that are required for you complete your daily duties to the satisfaction of your employers, clients and the law.
For more information, please visit our HIPAA training website.
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