All About the HIPAA Law

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, known commonly as HIPAA, was created to protect working Americans and their family members when they lose or change job. Here are several of the reasons the HIPAA law is so important:

• It allows patients to deem who may speak on their behalf. If they were to get into an accident and unable to communicate, they will need a trusted individual to represent them.
• It states that every patient has the right to a copy of their personal medical records. No medical facility can deny this right to patients.
• It was designed to protect patients and their confidentiality. Every healthcare facility must have a compliance department that can resolve issues related to compliance concerns or a data breach.

The HIPAA Law: Keeping Information Secure

When HIPAA was enacted in 1996, smartphones, tablets, and other devices did not exist. These advances in technology have made complying with HIPAA regulations far more difficult today. Since HIPAA protects patients and their confidentiality, medical providers have a legal obligation to keep patient information secure when they are accessing, saving, and sharing medical data. This legal obligation is particularly important to medical billers and coders who work with medical data on a regular basis. Any insurance, provider, and patient information they deal with during the medical billing and coding process must be secure. Failing to secure medical data and a lack of compliance to HIPAA standards can lead to serious penalties such as hefty fines and a damaged reputation. The good news is that there are several ways medical practices can ensure HIPAA compliance. Educating all employees who work with sensitive patient information, keeping mobile devices secure, disposing of paper files, and being cautious while using social media can all help.

Consider Outsourcing to Ensure HIPAA Compliance

If you would like to make sure that your medical facility is 100% HIPAA compliant, you should consider outsourcing. By outsourcing, you can enjoy the peace of mind of knowing that your medical data is handled by professionals who are well trained and experienced in HIPAA compliance. Rather than spending time on training employees on HIPAA compliance, you can focus on what’s most important: quality patient care.

Contact Applied Medical Systems Today

At Applied Medical Systems, we offer top-notch medical billing coding, and practice solutions while making HIPAA law and compliance a priority. We take a variety of precautions to ensure the confidentiality of all of the patient information we work with. For more information on how our services can increase the productivity and success of your medical practice, we encourage you to contact us today.