Healthcare professionals and Business Associate HIPAA compliance by Supremeus Gr

Posted by John on November 19th, 2016

HIPAA signifies Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and was passed in 1996. Many should comply with it including health caution providers, insurance companies, transcription and interpretation companies, and anyone else who ought to handle protected health information.

In the healthcare industry there's a simple growing need and standard for healthcare professionals and Business Associate HIPAA compliance to hold complete documentation of every interaction by using patients. Not only does this protect the patient together with the medical staff involved but it also ensures the specific minimum level of care and continuity in the care. Therefore, all conversations that take place between medical staff and patients and audio journals (dictation) about patient records needs to be handled and documented appropriately for long run reference. Because of this, there is undoubtedly an ever growing need for professional transcription services that come with the smooth handling of personal/medical details.

There is a great deal with confidentiality involved in the medical system in regards to handling patient records. Those transcription companies that do medical transcription should meet the least standard of HIPAA consent.

For the sake of confidentiality on behalf of the patient, only those people who are directly needed for Employee hipaa training and care of the patient should acquire the patient records. This pertains mainly to:

- Direct care staff (RN's, LPN's, Professionals & surgical staff, etc)
- Transcribing staff (Billing, admitting)
- Support team (imaging technicians, lab workers, social laborers, etc)

In some situations, outside groups or agencies can have patient information released to them : usually for legal purposes (law enforcement, law firm, etc).

The nature of HIPAA Online Training has worked well for several years in protecting the confidentiality of patients as well as staff that work with those clients. Unfortunately due to the nature with dictation (staff can't always write everything down) transcription services needs to be brought in as well. As these, those transcription companies must also aim at maintain confidentiality of patient records.

Keep in mind legal professionals will also have to view patient records for purposes of civil and criminal law as above mentioned. A transcription agency still has to hold confidentiality and practice HIPAA compliance although that transcription agency does not give medical transcription. They may still discovered those records while providing transcription in an attorney, or for a trial and criminal hearing.

Even in situations where medical records are usually not present, HIPAA still sets a standard to get how records should be handled about confidentiality. Other professionals could benefit from other HIPAA compliant while handling any ingredient of client information for transcription purposes. It's been handed down for data stemming from legal/law enforcement transcribing where confidential information needs to be secured with regards to protecting victims and criminal rights and sensitive trial information.

There are many ways in which a transcription company ensures confidentially and protect the firms and organizations they work with, their extended client network of course themselves - whether working with medical records or almost every other confidential client info.

Controlling the Arrangement of Records

Converting from tape-based formats to electronic formats has become the best ways to protect data. Hard copies of patient and client information is often lost, misplaced and even stolen and damaged. Legal and professional staff is discouraged from using hard copies in making audio recordings and are instead directed to carry out digital formats. These files can be easily used in a transcription service and can be encrypted to protect the client data.

Controlling Access

Password protection is actually used to protect sensitive material and admission to certain areas. It's still an effective method made use by transcription services, whether a company functions an in-house transcription group or a strong outsourced transcription agency.

Maintaining Standards

When HIPAA standards change, it's important for any involved in client and patient care to live current. Modern professional transcription services normally attend regular training, meetings and seminars to protect the ongoing updates surrounding HIPAA consent.

If an organization is addressing anything that is deemed sensitive and confidential client data - especially about medical records - it's vital to work along a supporting transcription service that maintains HIPAA compliance training and recommendations through their daily routines.

For getting more information about HIPAA Security Training visit the website https://www.supremusgroup.com/training-courses/hipaa-security-training/instructor-led-boot-camps-security/

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John

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John
Joined: December 27th, 2014
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