3 Reasons For HIPAA Training

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) Training is a requirement for all US healthcare workers. However, the term "healthcare workers" has quite a broad meaning, so it might be somewhat difficult to understand exactly who falls under this category. Read below to find out more about who is obliged to undergo HIPAA training as well as some info on the training process.

• Who Must Be Trained:

Anyone working for an institution or organization that is likely to have contact with protected health information or patient records should undergo HIPAA program. Such institutions include, but are not limited to hospitals, private medical clinics, health insurance companies, law companies specialized in health matters, and vendors working with healthcare facilities.

HIPAA training is a requirement not only for the paid members of these institutions (the employees), but also for trainees, volunteers, or students associated with the institution. The type of HIPAA training (Basic or Advanced) each member has to take depends on whether he or she has direct access to patient data and other confidential information or not. For example, a doctor would have to pass the HIPAA Advanced training, while a maintenance worker would only have to take the HIPAA Basic training.

• When Must HIPAA Training Be Completed:

Health workers who fall under the categories mentioned above should take HIPAA program and pass the exams before the regulations become effective. There is no mention of a specific time frame in which new members of the workforce have to take the training; the regulations state only that this must be accomplished within a reasonable period of time.

Since HIPAA regulations are reviewed and updated from time to time, all healthcare workers have to be retrained. This gives them the opportunity to learn about all the changes in the privacy policies or procedures. Once again, the period of time in which the workers have to be retrained is not mandated.

• Worker Responsibilities and HIPAA Training Requirements:

Upon completion of the HIPAA program, members have to sign a document which states the date of the training and their willingness to abide by the privacy policies, procedures, and other HIPAA regulations. Every three years, healthcare workers have the obligation to recertify.

All medical personnel, regardless of their job description, should undergo HIPAA awareness training. During this awareness training, personnel can learn about security regulations and procedures, the importance of password maintenance, incident reporting, and so on.

Workers with direct access to health information should receive customized HIPAA program, during which they can learn about the responsibilities they have in keeping health information confidential. All healthcare institutions have to make sure that workers receive periodic security reminders in which they are made aware of any current concerns or changes in policies and regulations.

HIPAA training is an essential step in the qualification of healthcare workers. The information provided above is meant to help you realize if you too should undergo this type of training, when you should begin it, and what you are supposed to do upon completion.