Q&A: HIPAA training

Q. Is it necessary for organizations to provide HIPAA training for all workforce members, even those who are not involved in patient care (e.g., janitorial staff, administration, nonclinical roles)?

A. You should provide basic HIPAA training for all members of your workforce, including students, volunteers, and those in nonclinical roles, since they may be exposed to PHI during the course of their work. Many organizations do this initially during employee orientation and provide annual online training to minimize training time and resources.

Editor's note: This question was answered by Mary D. Brandt, MBA, RHIA, CHE, CHPS. Brandt is a healthcare consultant specializing in healthcare regulatory compliance and operations improvement.This information does not constitute legal advice. Consult legal counsel for answers to specific privacy and security questions. Opinions expressed are those of the author and do not represent HCPro or ACDIS. Email your HIPAA questions to Editor Nicole Votta at nvotta@hcpro.com.