The 5 Professions Required to Earn HIPAA Certification

Because of its broad scope and emphasis on the privacy of personal information, there are few industries not affected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Commonly referred to as HIPAA, the act has been in affect for nearly two decades, but still continues to affect daily functions of the health and information industries.
HIPAA is a highly complex act that requires intensive study and refresher courses to maintain compliance. Some professions deal with personal health information directly and should be required to earn certification. Certification involves taking a class and then taking a certification exam to prove your understanding of HIPAA policies.
Penalties for non-compliance with HIPAA laws can be high fines and civil lawsuits. You also run the risk of losing clients and patients if a HIPAA violation is publicly discovered. Patients, employees, and clients want to feel reassured that their personal health information is kept private and safe. It is hard to earn trust once a security breach has occurred.
By requiring employees to obtain certification, you can greatly reduce the risk of any security breach. Below is a list of the professions that should be required to earn a HIPAA certification:
• Healthcare providers. This includes anyone directly interacting with patients in a healthcare environment. Physicians, nurses, hospital administrators, dentists and other healthcare professionals all should hold certification.
• Mental health professionals. These are included in healthcare professionals, but are not always grouped together. Physiatrists, psychologists, and social workers all have access to sensitive personal health information and therefore should be HIPAA certified.
• Health insurance providers. These professionals have access to personal health information on a daily basis. HIPAA certification will 1200 Calorie Meal Plan On A Budget help them have a deep understanding of how to adhere to HIPAA law while handling and transferring personal health information of clients.
• Business owners. All business owners should pursue a certification to be educated on HIPAA compliance. Even if the business is not involved directly in healthcare or insurance, business owners still have access to personal information that may be covered under HIPAA regulations. To avoid penalties or civil lawsuits, all business owners should obtain HIPAA certification.
• Human resource service providers. Human resource personal have access to a wide variety of personal information of employees. Much of this information, like health insurance, is covered under HIPAA regulations. All human resource professionals can benefit from gaining HIPAA certification.
In addition to HIPAA certification, professionals in the above fields should seek continuing education on HIPAA laws. The act is continually being updated as new technology in electronic medical The Body Care Facial Kit records and the health care industry as a whole are revealed. Only through continual refresher courses can professionals truly be certain they are keeping in compliance with HIPAA law.
With the combination of initial HIPAA certification, refresher courses, and knowledge of the industry, the above professions can assure they stay in compliance with HIPAA laws. HIPAA compliance is one of many ways to stay successful in a competitive market place.