There are fewer hoops to jump through when another provider requests a practice’s patient records than when an attorney requests them, but the requesting providers don’t have an automatic right to those records, and you can’t just hand them over.
CMS released a bulletin April 10 on behalf of HHS seeking providers to participate in a volunteer Provider Pilot Program to test the process for reviewing compliance with its HIPAA Administrative Simplification rules.
Once you understand the basics of privacy and disclosure of PHI under HIPAA, strive to keep staff trained. According to Section 164.530 (b) of the Privacy Rule, a covered entity must train all members of their workforce on the policies and procedures with respect to PHI as necessary and appropriate.
Q: I’m a benefits administrator, and I got a call from human resources about an email she received from an employee about a procedure performed by her physician that was not covered by her insurance. Can I discuss the case with human resources? Or should I talk directly to the employee?
Hospital mergers and acquisitions remain the trend, and many hospital systems and other healthcare organizations cover multiple states, so understanding and keeping track of different state privacy laws can get complicated.
Q: An investigator from the state health department called the clinic where I work and asked for health records to collect vaccination data for a public health project. Is it a HIPAA violation to share that data?
Gaps in mobile security remain a threat to your protected health information and leave you vulnerable to HIPAA violations, so train and, if necessary, restrain employees to reduce the risk.
