Training Healthcare Employees to Follow HIPAA Regulations

Security breaches don’t just come from overseas cyber hackers. Every person in your organization has a role to play when it comes to protecting PHI. Though some strategies may seem to be a matter of common sense, to paraphrase Mark Twain, common sense is anything but common.

Every employee, volunteer or trainee (including student nurses and doctors) must receive appropriate training in a timely manner. In fact, anyone who works at your facility under your supervision must be trained in how to follow HIPAA regulations, even when those individuals are subcontractors. Training seminars should include clear, specific strategies with examples drawn directly from the workplace so individuals can see exactly how regulations impact the workplace.

Staff and volunteers must be informed that under no circumstances should patient records be accessed unless this access is necessary for patient care and is specific to the employee’s role in that care. Any information about the health and/or personal data of a patient is automatically considered highly confidential, and use of that information should be strictly regulated. All employees should be aware that patient confidentiality begins upon admission and that all records, whether hard copy or digital, must be protected either by physically securing the records or by protection with passwords, keycards, or other appropriate means.

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