Caron Passley 

Documentation of HIPAA training is necessary to show that each employee is aware and up to date on the current standards for their specific job level such as maintaining the minimum necessary standard that is when an employee is given access to the least amount of information to do their jobs. The primary reasons for the enactment of HIPAA were in part to protect the privacy, security, and confidentiality of patient health information (PHI). “It also ensures secure transactions and assigns identifiers for providers, insurers, and patients to ease administrative transactions. HIPAA exists for both the patient and the healthcare delivery system so that confidential information is utilized as it should be for the care of the patient and so that administrative transactions can be completed effectively and efficiently” (Steiner, J., Pozgar, G. Pg. 61). A healthcare manager can be proactive in protecting PHI by reviewing how office processes and procedure are being carried out, what the impacts of office practices and procedures are having on the entity with the privacy officer and or the security officer if they are different persons through audits, enacting policies, procedures, various ongoing training and awareness programs often enough that are a routine part of employees everyday modus operandi.

Reference:

Steiner, J., Pozgar, G., McConnell, C., Schultz, H., Young, K., Mosley, G., Joos, I., Buchbinder, S., Buchbinder, S., and Shanks, N. HIPAA Compliance in HealthCare. Security and Management of Health Information. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Post 2

 
Leslie Lauer 

1.  Why is documentation of HIPAA training necessary? What do you consider to be the primary reasons for the enactment of HIPAA? How can a healthcare manager be proactive in protecting PHI?

It is imperative that health care professionals or anyone who has access to patient information is educated on and understands the importance of HIPPA.  Anyone who has access to patients’ health information has limited access, meaning they are allowed to view only health information that is pertinent to complete the task at hand and nothing more (Miller, 2013).  Managers should constantly emphasize the importance of HIPPA and review how to protect patient information.  If the manager doesn’t stress the importance of following HIPPA then the office staff will likely violate the HIPPA guidelines.

1.  What do you believe is the “moral and legal premise” of patient autonomy”?

The “moral and legal premise” of patient autonomy is the patients’ decision and right to give consent for their treatment and for the physicians to include them in the decision making process (Miller, 2013).

2.  Explain in your own words the objectives of the Patient Bill of Rights.

The Patients’ Bill of Rights are put in place to with the patients health and wellbeing in mind.  This is to help the patient understand their rights and responsibilities as a patient and encourage them to have an active role in their medical decision making.

References

Miller, C. 2013. HIPPA Compliance in Health Care. Jones and Bartlett Learning. 

Burlington, MA.