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HIPAA Compliance
Medical security is
perhaps the most
critical issue facing
Medical Professionals
and with new HIPAA
enforcement, it has
become urgent.
Security and
Compliance is about
more than just medical
records and pertains
to nearly every facet
of business today.
HIPAA compliance is
vital to reducing
legal and financial
liability.
Virtually
all-healthcare
organizations –
including all health
care providers, health
plans, public health
authorities,
healthcare
clearinghouses, and
self-ensured employers
– as well as life
insurers, information
systems vendors,
various service
organizations, and
universities are now
effected by HIPAA
regulation.
Guarding corporate and
patient data,
protecting company
property and ensuring
patient safety are
among the most
important and
challenging
responsibilities that
medical professionals
face.
The range of HIPAA
awareness on the part
of physicians varies
and many physicians
have not yet taken
steps to ensure that
their practices will
be HIPAA compliant by
the required dates.
While HIPAA poses a
compliance challenge
for physicians, recent
modifications to
HIPAA’s privacy
requirements provide
some clarification to
assist in compliance
efforts.
HIPAA Compliance
Priorities
HIPAA’s compliance
requirements are
extensive and the
compliance dates have
already passed. Some
priorities for
physicians to consider
include the following.
Standard
transactions
Is your practice ready
to conduct standard
electronic HIPAA
transactions this year
or next? Has a
compliance plan been
submitted to HHS in
order to obtain an
additional year to
comply? Physician
practices should
immediately discuss
Standard Transaction
Rule compliance with
their billing
companies and should
also be aware of the
compliance timelines
of their third party
payers.
Business associates
Have you identified
those vendors who
perform services or
functions on behalf of
your practice who have
access to PHI. HIPAA
calls such vendors
"business associates"
and requires covered
providers to enter
into written business
associate agreements
containing specific
privacy provisions.
HHS published sample
business associate
contract provisions
with the Privacy Rule
modifications and
template business
associate agreements
are available through
many sources.
 Click
here for more information
Click here to sign up now
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