Shooting From The HIPAA: Do You Comply?

Shooting From The HIPAA: Do You Comply?
By Mary Helen Gillespie

Despite more than 60,000 documented cases of identity theft in 2005 in the United States, small medical, dental, and other health-care practices are still confused by their roles and responsibilities under the federal Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA). There�s a tremendous lack of clarity of the implications it could have on the operational processes that manage patients� personal health information.

These HIPPA privacy regulations went into effect in April 2003. But many smaller practitioners really have done very little around it, including staff training. It�s not enough to stick up a piece of paper on the office bulletin board that says, �SHH! Staff should not discuss cases publicly.�

Have patient privacy concerns? Read more of Mary Helen Gillespie�s column, Shooting From The HIPAA: Do You Comply?
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