HIPAA Advice

New Report Further Strengthens Correlation between Cyberattacks and Increased Patient Mortality

The new report from Proofpoint not only provides further evidence of a correlation between cyberattacks and increased patient mortality but also suggests healthcare organizations are better prepared and more resilient against security incidents. In 2018, […]

How Long Should You Keep Employee HIPAA Training Records?
HIPAA Advice

HIPAA EHR Rules

The HIPAA EHR rules stipulate the measures healthcare organizations are required to implement to protect health information maintained on EHRs against impermissible uses and disclosures. Unfortunately, not all healthcare organizations fully comply with the HIPAA […]

HIPAA Breach Notification Rule Reporting of Small data breaches
HIPAA Advice

Supreme Court Decision on Abortion Rights Prompts OCR to Issue Reminder About Health Information Privacy

The HHS’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has recently issued guidance on HIPAA and explained how HIPAA protects the privacy of individuals’ reproductive health information following the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in Dobbs […]

Who Does HIPAA Apply To
HIPAA Advice

Who Does HIPAA Apply To?

The answer to the question who does HIPAA apply to is most often generalized as health plans, health care clearinghouses, and health care providers along with their Business Associates. Some sources also include contractors who […]

HIPAA and COVID-19 Vaccination Information
HIPAA Advice

Why was HIPAA Created?

The actual answer to the question why was HIPAA created may surprise many people who believe the Act´s sole purpose was to safeguard Protected Health Information (PHI). Indeed, the Privacy and Security Rules developed to […]

HIPAA Advice

Why is HIPAA Important?

The question why is HIPAA important can have multiple answers depending on whether you are a healthcare organization, a healthcare professional, or a patient. The answers to the question why is HIPAA important can also […]

How Long Should You Keep Employee HIPAA Training Records?
HIPAA Advice

HIPAA Training for Clinics

Regardless of whether clinics are part of large healthcare systems or independent entities, the nature of HIPAA training for clinics should be the much the same. All members of the workforce should undergo Privacy Rule […]

HIPAA Advice

Refresher HIPAA Training for Nurses

Although most Covered Entities fulfil the basic requirements of HIPAA training for nurses, these may not always be enough to prevent avoidable HIPAA violations, data breaches, and patient complaints. Therefore, it is recommended Covered Entities […]

HIPAA Certification for Students
HIPAA Advice

HIPAA Certification for Students

Courses that provide HIPAA certification for students can be valuable assets for Covered Entities attempting to cultivate a HIPAA-compliant workforce as they resolve issues with the training requirements of the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules […]

HIPAA Guidelines for Nursing Students
HIPAA Advice

HIPAA Guidelines for Nursing Students

Because of the role nursing students play in the provision of healthcare, the HIPAA guidelines for nursing students are straightforward. Nonetheless, there have been cases in which nursing students have unintentionally violated HIPAA regulations due […]

How Often is HIPAA Training Required?
HIPAA Advice

Web-Based HIPAA Training

There has been a significant growth in recent years in companies offering web-based HIPAA training courses. While these courses can provide valuable information about HIPAA and the reasons why policies and procedures exist to safeguard […]

HIPAA Certification Training
HIPAA Advice

Best HIPAA Training

Without doubt, the best HIPAA training is training that goes beyond the requirements of the Privacy and Security Rules so that Covered Entities and Business Associates have fully HIPAA-aware workforces that can identify potential HIPAA […]

How Often is HIPAA Training Required?
HIPAA Advice

HIPAA Training for Employees

There are two standards in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act that directly relate to HIPAA training for employees – the training standard of the Privacy Rule´s Administrative Requirements (45 CFR § 164.530) and […]

HIPAA and COVID-19 Vaccination Information
HIPAA Advice

HIPAA Training for Nurses

There is no question that HIPAA training for nurses is mandated by the Administrative Requirements of the HIPAA Privacy Rule. However, the content of HIPAA training for nurses should go further than the minimum requirements […]

How Long Should You Keep Employee HIPAA Training Records?
HIPAA Advice

Basic HIPAA Training

Because of some confusion about the HIPAA training requirements, many Covered Entities and Business Associates provide basic HIPAA training to all members of their workforces. While this is a good idea because it ensures everyone […]

HIPAA compliance for Medical Practices
HIPAA Advice

HIPAA Privacy Training

HIPAA privacy training is sometimes confused with HIPAA Privacy Rule training which requires Covered Entities to train members of its workforce on policies and procedures “with respect to PHI […] as necessary and appropriate for […]

HIPAA Certification Training
HIPAA Advice

HIPAA Training for Managers

The issue of HIPAA training for managers is complex because, although the Security Rule states management must be included in security awareness training (45 CFR § 164.308), there is no guidance provided on what other […]

HIPAA and COVID-19 Vaccination Information
HIPAA Advice

HIPAA Refresher Training

When you consider the risk analysis requirements of HIPAA, the potential for corrective action orders, and the inferences of the Security Rule training requirements, the provision of additional HIPAA refresher training training is practically unavoidable. […]

HIPAA Certification Training
HIPAA Advice

HIPAA Certification Training

HIPAA certification training for employees of HIPAA-covered entities or vendors that provide products or services to the healthcare industry has several advantages. In this post, we explain the benefits of HIPAA certification, but first it […]

HIPAA compliance for Medical Practices
HIPAA Advice

What is HIPAA Certification?

Any vendor that wants to provide goods or services to HIPAA-covered entities – healthcare providers, health plans, or healthcare clearinghouses – that requires access to protected health information (PHI) must comply with certain HIPAA provisions. […]

Cybersecurity

22% Of Healthcare Organizations Say Ransomware Attacks Increased Patient Mortality

Ransomware and other destructive cyberattacks on healthcare delivery organizations (HDOs) can cripple IT systems, prevent access to protected health information, and often see appointments cancelled and patients redirected to other healthcare facilities. The disruption caused […]

HIPAA Security Awareness Training
HIPAA Advice

HIPAA Security Awareness Training

HIPAA security awareness training is a requirement of the HIPAA Security Rule, which calls for HIPAA covered entities and their business associates to “implement a security awareness and training program for all members of its workforce (including […]

HIPAA Advice

HIPAA Training for Student Nurses

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules must be adhered to by all covered entities and their business associates, hence it is particularly important for nurses to clearly […]

HIPAA Advice

Hackers Focusing on Small & Medium-Sized Practices

During the past twelve months, the number of recorded ransomware attacks against healthcare organizations – particularly small and medium sized practices – has increased significantly. Security experts believe the increase in recorded ransomware attacks is […]

HIPAA Advice

HIPAA Breaches & Healthcare Students

The value of providing healthcare students with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) training cannot be underestimated as it can prevent serious data breaches from occurring while also increasing the employability of the individuals […]

HIPAA Advice

HR Managers & HIPAA Compliance

Most HR managers will be aware that if the organization operates a self-funded health insurance plan which is also self-administered, employees with access to protected health information (PHI) are required to undergo HIPAA training. HIPAA […]

HIPAA Advice

Employee Consequences of Violating HIPAA

Any entity found to have violated the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Rules can face massive financial penalties and administrative sanctions. For this reason it is crucial for employees to have an in-depth […]

HIPAA Advice

Who Enforces HIPAA?

Trying to come up with a definitive answer to the question ‘Who Enforces HIPAA?’ can bring up two very different answers. On one hand there are the official bodies and agencies that are charged with […]

HIPAA Advice

HIPAA & Telehealth Types Explained

Telehealth is an area that is very important to pay particular attention to when addressing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance so it is important to be aware of the many different […]

HIPAA Advice

HIPAA Breach Cases 2020

Listed here is a summary of some of the most significant HIPAA breach cases that have lead to settlement agreements with the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR). We have […]

HIPAA Advice

HIPAA Social Media Rules

Because HIPAA was enacted a number of years prior to the evolution of social media platforms, there are no provisions specifically addressing social media networks and PHI in the HIPAA text. However, this does not […]

HIPAA Advice

HIPAA Compliance Guide

Using a HIPAA compliance guide will put you in a position to ally your group and your business associates to gain a proper understanding of  the requirements associated with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability […]

HIPAA Advice

Coronavirus and HIPAA Compliance

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Rules still apply during public health emergencies such as the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak. When preventing and dealing with cases of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused […]

HIPAA Advice

HIPAA Compliance and the Use of Technology

As the number of medical professionals using personal mobile devices to communicate and collaborate on patient concerns increases it becomes more and more important to ensure that healthcare groups address the use of technology and […]

HIPAA Advice

Healthcare Cybersecurity

Healthcare cybersecurity is an increasing problem for organizations. Recent years have seen hacking and IT security incidents steadily increase and many healthcare organizations have struggled to secure their network perimeter and keep cybercriminals away. 2015 […]

HIPAA Advice

HIPAA Telemedicine Guidelines

The HIPAA guidelines on telemedicine are relevant for all medical professional or healthcare groups that provide a remote service to patients in their homes or in community centers. Many people wrongly think that communicating ePHI […]

HIPAA Advice

HIPAA History

Our review of HIPAA history begins on August 21, 1996, when the Healthcare Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was enacted into law, but why was the HIPAA Act formulated? The HIPAA Act was formulated […]

HIPAA Advice

What is the Purpose of HIPAA?

HIPAA was enacted in 1996. In its initial form, the legislation assisting in making sure that workers would go on receiving health insurance coverage when they were moving between jobs. The legislation also required healthcare […]

HIPAA Advice

HIPAA Compliance and Skype

Skype Text and messaging platforms like it are a very convenient way of quickly sending data however there is still some discussion around how HIPAA compliant Skype actually is. The Skype service incorporates security measures […]

HIPAA Advice

HITECH Act Explained

The HITECH Act – or Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act – forms a portion of an economic stimulus program introduced prior to President Trump taking office: The American Recovery and Reinvestment […]

HIPAA Advice

How to Manage Your HIPAA Password Requirements

HIPAA password requirements state that procedures must be implemented for creating, changing and securing passwords unless a different, equally-effective security measure is chosen. The password requirements under HIPAA are available the Administrative Safeguards of the […]

HIPAA Advice

Email Providers that are HIPAA Compliant

HIPAA-covered organizations must take every possible precaution to ensure protected health information (PHI) sent and received by email is safeguarded both at rest and in transit in order to prevent unauthorized access to patient data. […]

HIPAA Advice

Who Polices HIPAA?

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) brought in many new regulations for healthcare groups, but who polices HIPAA? Which federal departments are charged with making sure HIPAA Rules are adhered to by covered […]

HIPAA Advice

Can Zoho be Deemed HIPAA Compliant?

Many healthcare groups have considered the Zoho Office Suite as an alternative software package to organize workflows, but can Zoho be deemed HIPAA compliant? Zoho: What is it? Based in Pleasanton, CA Zoho is developer of […]

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The Significance of HIPAA

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a landmark piece of data protection legislation in the USA. What is it that makes HIPAA so significant? What reform did HIPAA bring in and what […]

HIPAA Advice

HIPAA Compliance and Microsoft Azure

Does Azure comply with HIPAA? Can Microsoft’s cloud services be implemented by HIPAA covered bodies without breaching HIPAA Rules? Many healthcare groups are considering shifting some of their services to the cloud, and a large […]