HIPAAtrek Blog
Refresh your HIPAA know-how.
Facilitating Remote Work During the Coronavirus Pandemic
As the nation continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that we work together to help facilitate the effort to contain and prevent. An integral part of this effort is requiring staff to work remotely, this includes compliance professionals. At...
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Coronavirus Disclosure: Pitfalls to Avoid
COVID-19 is a national emergency. Healthcare providers and public health agencies are working in overdrive to prevent the further spread of the virus. As healthcare professionals are identifying new cases of COVID-19, they are following the required protocols for notifying public health agencies and alerting those that may be at risk of exposure to the virus.
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Disclosures Involving the Coronavirus Pandemic
While healthcare facilities are preparing for the coronavirus pandemic, hospitals are facing increased workloads. Healthcare providers are required to report cases of COVID-19 to public health agencies as a part of the response effort. It is still important to remember that Minimum Necessary policies and other privacy and security requirements must remain in place.
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Implementing Policies using the HIPAAtrek Platform
As a Compliance Officer, managing and implementing HIPAA policies can be a time-consuming and frustrating process. Employees must know your organization’s privacy and security policies. It is your job to assign policies, making sure every employee has read and...
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Does HIPAA Provide Special Protections for HIV Diagnosis/Treatment?
It’s easy to assume that the more sensitive information is, the more it should be protected. We know that the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (known as HIPAA) protects health information. But does HIPAA provide special protections for highly...
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Learning from 2019’s Ransomware Epidemic
In 2019, 764 healthcare providers were hit with ransomware. These organizations temporarily or permanently lost their medical records, had to redirect patients or cancel non-emergency procedures, and some even closed their doors for good. According to an Emsisoft...
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How to Handle HIPAA Privacy Complaints
Patients have the right to file a complaint when they believe your organization has mishandled their information or otherwise violated the HIPAA rules. Patients may mail, fax, or email a complaint to your organization or file one through the OCR’s Complaint Portal....
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Patient Rights Explained: Restriction of Uses and Disclosures of PHI
Ordinarily, you can use and disclose patient information as needed to carry out everyday tasks, such as treatment, payment, and healthcare operations. However, patients have the right to restrict these uses and disclosures of their protected health information (PHI)....
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Patient Rights Explained: Amendment of Records
A key part of the HIPAA Privacy Rule is your patients’ right to amend their own medical records. This allows them to correct errors and improve the accuracy of their health data. Let’s look at an overview of your main responsibilities when a patient asks to amend...
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Patient Rights Explained: HIPAA Right of Access
A key part of the HIPAA Privacy Rule is allowing patients to access their own medical records when and how they request it. This is known as “right of access.” As HHS explains, “Providing individuals with easy access to their health information empowers them to be...
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