The HIPAA Privacy, Security and Breach Notification Rules require the development and implementation of policies. Covered entities must address all the standards in the rules
Q: Is it permissible to write down a patient's pending exams (e.g., MRI, ultrasound) on the patient boards located by the patient's bed in his or her room even if that patient has a roommate?
1. The audit is intended as an educational tool, but if auditors discover serious noncompliance issues, they may request OCR conduct an investigation to determine if enforcement action is necessary.
Phase 2 of OCR's HIPAA audit program is coming down the pipeline, and although privacy and security officers are typically tasked with all things HIPAA, there's a seat at the table for HIM when it comes to preparing for audits.
Ready or not, Phase 2 of OCR's HIPAA audit program is nearly ready to begin, and healthcare organizations and their business associates (BA) should be prepared to open their books to federal regulators.
There are a number of tools on the market to assist covered entities (CE) and business associates (BA) in addressing their compliance needs. Solutions range from large governance, risk, and compliance programs to tools that assist in the development of a compliance program. When it comes to ongoing compliance management, Ostendio's My Virtual Compliance Manager™ (MyVCM™) offers a solution that is more than just a tool for an occasional look at the compliance stance of an organization.
