What Up Wednesday - #6 How to protect yourself from HIPAA violations

How to protect yourself from HIPAA violations

Now that you know what a HIPAA violation is and how to report a violation, there are a number of things you can do to protect yourself from HIPAA violations.  Be aware of what PHI is. PHI is any information that can be used to identify an individual, such as their name, date of birth, Social Security number, or medical records. Only access PHI when you need to. When you do access PHI, only access the information that you need for the task at hand. Never disclose PHI without authorization. This includes talking about a patient's care in public, sending PHI over unencrypted email, or leaving PHI unsecured. Secure PHI properly. This means using strong passwords, keeping PHI in a locked cabinet, and shredding PHI when it is no longer needed. Train yourself on HIPAA requirements. This will help you understand your responsibilities and how to protect PHI. Report any suspected HIPAA violations to your supervisor. This will help to ensure that the violation is investigated and addressed.Here are some specific tips if you are a healthcare provider:Do not use social media to discuss patients. Even if you block patients from seeing your posts, they may still be able to see them if they are friends with someone who shares your posts.Do not take pictures of patients or their medical information without their consent. This includes pictures of patients in the hospital, in the exam room, or in their medical records.Be careful about what you say in the workplace. Even if you are talking to other healthcare professionals, you should be careful about what you say about patients.Keep your computer and mobile devices secure. This means using strong passwords and keeping your devices up to date with the latest security patches.Dispose of PHI properly. This means shredding paper records and deleting electronic records.If you still have questions HERE is some guidance for you from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or you can reach out to a VanRein Team Member at [email protected] or 830-201-1880.