Hipaa Compliance - Non - compliance Isn ' t Worth The Consequences

Hipaa Compliance - Non - compliance Isn ' t Worth The Consequences

It just got tougher be in HIPAA Compliance. Essentially, it all started when the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act was signed into law in 2009 - however HITECH Act did not take effect until 2010. HITECH was meant to push the adoption and meaningful use of health information technology. It was only fitting that the U. S. Department of Health & Human Services introduce law that would certify the privacy of individual health information, considering many facilities have made paper records a thing of the gone. For those not dealing with the electronic transmission of health information properly, HITECH Act paves the road for serious consequences; HITECH provides the provision that strengthens the civil and criminal potency of the HIPAA rules.
Monetary fines below the HITECH Act can run anywhere from $100 per single invasion to $1, 500, 000 as the maximum for a calendar year worth of violations. Fiscal fines are based on tiers. Each string escalates in proportion to the violations by the malefactor; the integrity is assessed depending on the rampage of the offensive, along with the resulting harm. If you are one of the entities ( i. e. health care physicians, health care services, businesses with health care plans, etc. ) mandated to be in compliance with HIPAA you could be liable for pecuniary penalties enforced by HHS along with criminal penalties, enforced by the United States Department of Legality.
In addition to the alternative of monetary fines and imprisonment, you might consider how important your companies reputation is - that in itself should be compulsion enough to stay HIPAA compliant. Improperly disposing of health records can land you on the front page of the news, which is the last thing a company or practice needs. However, it ' s those high fines that are really aboriginal to make those of us mandated to be HIPAA compliant sweat. The high fines levied on HIPAA violators be resonant the importance of safeguarding safe health information. Faced with the impending ultimatum of soaring fines from slip to meet HIPAA data tear requirements, the health service industry is seeking ways to make concrete they are HIPAA compliant.
A facility can make sure compliance in a number of ways. These methods gamut anywhere from hiring an apostle to guide you through compliance, view seminars, having a consultant visiting your facility, or purchasing software or other agnate compliance tools to guide you through the process. It would be a massive task to sift through the HIPAA laws and administrative compliance procedures for any one person. I certainly advise soliciting some sort of help. The duty is to makes express all staff is trained in the same fashion, on a facility specific HIPAA compliance program. While the whole process may seem massive, taking the time and making the investment to secure HIPAA compliance is deal to pay off if the Department of Health and Human Services, or the Department of Constitutionality ever decide to pay a visit.