Introduction

If you are a business owner in the healthcare industry, you might know that data security is the most important thing to maintain, especially at a time when data breaches and cyber-attacks are on the rise. Being a HIPAA-compliant organization has become a green flag for protecting your customer’s private and sensitive information. This is why it is important to get HIPAA-compliant certification, to ensure you and your employees are current with its policies. This guide unravels the importance and benefits of getting HIPAA-compliant certification for healthcare organizations.

What is HIPAA?

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, also known as HIPAA, is a federal statute establishing strict standards for data management and patient data protection by healthcare facilities and insurance providers. 

Individual healthcare facilities have some flexibility in implementing these guidelines. This is because each facility has unique privacy requirements and external risk factors to consider. To ensure compliance, most healthcare providers create and update plans, procedures, documentation, and technology to secure sensitive patient information.

Why is HIPAA important?

While HIPAA regulations consist of all parties within the healthcare sector who manage patients’ protected health information (PHI), the most common groups affected are:

• Medical students
• Hospitals
• Insurance providers
• Physician practices
• Covered entities
• Urgent care facilities
• Dental practices
• Nursing homes
• Pharmacies
• Business associates

History and Formation of HIPAA in a Nutshell

• Early 1990s: Concerns regarding health insurance portability and medical privacy rise.
• 1995: President Bill Clinton proposed the “Health Insurance Reform Act,” which incorporates these concerns.
• 1996: HIPAA was passed as a law to protect the privacy of patient’s health information.
• 1997-2003: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) develops and enforces HIPAA regulations.

Since its inception, its development has been rooted in two key concerns: ensuring continued health insurance coverage and protecting the privacy of sensitive medical information.

• Health Insurance Portability: Prior to HIPAA, people changing jobs could face losing their health insurance. HIPAA addressed this by requiring group health plans to offer coverage to those who were eligible, regardless of pre-existing conditions or job changes.
• Medical Privacy Concerns: The rise of electronic health records (EHRs) raised concerns about the security and privacy of patient data. HIPAA addressed this by establishing a set of national standards to protect patients’ medical information.

HIPAA has provided a positive light by impacting the healthcare landscape through:

• Portability: People can now change jobs without worrying about losing health insurance coverage due to pre-existing conditions.
• Privacy: Patients have greater control over their medical information and can request access to their records.
• Security: Healthcare providers must take steps to safeguard patient data and protect it from unauthorized access.

While HIPAA isn’t without its complexities, it plays a crucial role in ensuring health insurance accessibility and patient privacy in the United States.

Importance and Benefits HIPAA Compliance Certification in Healthcare

1. Legal Requirement: HIPAA compliance is a legal requirement for covered entities, including healthcare providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses. Noncompliance can lead to hefty fines and legal consequences, making compliance a necessity rather than an option.
2. Building Patient Trust: HIPAA compliance certification demonstrates a commitment to protecting patient data and building trust and confidence in patients who are increasingly aware of data privacy concerns. This trust is integral to patient retention and satisfaction.
3. Enhance Data Security: The certification process helps organizations assess and improve their data security measures. This is critical as the healthcare sector remains one of the biggest targets of cyber-attacks due to the value of PHI.
4. Risk Management: Compliance certification helps identify and alleviate risks associated with data privacy and security. Regular audits and assessments ensure that vulnerabilities are addressed diligently, reducing the chances of data breaches.
5. Competitive Advantage: Since patients now have multiple options, HIPAA compliance can serve as a competitive advantage. It reassures patients and partners that the organization takes data privacy and security seriously.
6. Improved Efficiency: Implementing HIPAA standards often leads to better-organized, more efficient health information systems. Streamlined data management practices can reduce errors and improve the overall quality of care.
7. Cost Savings: While achieving compliance involves an upfront investment, it can lead to major cost savings in the long run by avoiding fines and reducing the costs associated with data breaches, which include legal fees, loss of reputation, and potential litigation.
8. Staff Training and Awareness: HIPAA compliance certification necessitates thorough training for all staff members. This training increases awareness and knowledge about data protection, which is important in maintaining a secure environment for patient information.

Obtaining HIPAA compliance certification involves several steps:

1. Conducting a Risk Assessment: Identify potential vulnerabilities and risks to patient data and assess current security measures.
2. Developing Policies and Procedures: Establish detailed policies and procedures for data handling, access control, encryption, and incident response.
3. Implementing Technical Safeguards: Deploy encryption, access controls, firewalls, and other technical safeguards to protect data integrity and confidentiality.
4. Training Staff: Provide HIPAA training to employees to ensure awareness of compliance requirements and best practices for handling patient information.
5. Conducting Regular Audits and Monitoring: Regularly monitor systems, conduct audits, and review processes to ensure ongoing compliance with HIPAA regulations.

Read more: Effective Ways to Simplify and Streamline Compliance in Healthcare Organizations

Importance of HIPAA Compliance in Healthcare

Having a HIPAA compliance certificate verifies that a healthcare provider has executed all the measures required to protect patient data as per HIPAA regulations. It consists of a well-detailed assessment of policies, processes, and technical safeguards that secure compliance with HIPAA standards. 

Apart from its main role of protecting the confidential medical data of patients, there are many other reasons why healthcare institutions should be keeping HIPAA compliance in mind:

• The U.S. Office for Civil Rights (OCR) maintains a public list of all healthcare breaches that affect 500 or more individuals. This repository has an unofficial nickname – the “Wall of Shame”. Once you’re listed publicly here, it’s permanent. It will reveal the date, offense, and number of people affected by the breach.
• HIPAA noncompliance fines can range from $100 up to $50,000 for a single violation. However, it has a maximum annual penalty of $1.5 million per year. When PHI is intentionally acquired and misused, the penalties for such violations can include imprisonment for up to 10 years.

Due to the complexity and scope of a law like HIPAA, there are numerous opportunities for workers without a legal background to inadvertently make mistakes. A major portion of HIPAA violations are results of breaches, but there are various other ways to unintentionally violate HIPAA, such as accidentally sending PHI to unauthorized parties, disposing of PHI in trash cans instead of shredders, or discussing PHI openly in a crowded public space like cafeteria or elevator.

Fact: Information that is protected under HIPAA, known as Protected Health Information (PHI), is covered for 50 years after death. This stabilizes the privacy interests of surviving individuals with the important needs of biographers and historians who use this info for historical purposes.

What is a HIPAA-Compliant Training Program?

Having a HIPAA certification allows a healthcare provider to declare its compliance with the rules and regulations posed by HIPAA. This certification will help covered bodies and business associates to demonstrate to target clients and vendors that they are well-informed about HIPAA’s privacy and security rules and are committed to protecting patient data. A well-executed curriculum helps to reduce the chances of human error and violations along with saving the time and money of healthcare providers.

However, it’s important to note that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) does not issue HIPAA compliance certificates. These certifications are provided by third-party auditors. Therefore, a HIPAA compliance certificate on a website may not necessarily guarantee that the organization is truly following HIPAA regulations.

A HIPAA compliance training program ensures that everyone who interacts with or oversees PHI stays current with ongoing updates to HIPAA and how it applies. The law mandates that anyone involved with healthcare information receives training that is necessary and suitable for their roles. A properly structured training curriculum reduces the likelihood of human errors and penalties. Moreover, it also helps healthcare providers save both time and money.

The Training Process

HIPAA training programs can be conducted either in person or online, and regardless of the option picked, they typically follow a three-step process.

1. Training Preparation: Before implementing a HIPAA training program, decide whether to conduct it in person or online. For in-person training, schedule a suitable day for the session.
2. Training Day: On the designated day for in-person training, a specialist will arrive with a structured training curriculum. This typically covers basic HIPAA definitions, their application, best practices for compliance, and the consequences of noncompliance. Moreover, employees can complete the training at their own pace if opting for online sessions.
3. Certificates of Completion: Upon completing the HIPAA compliance training, employees receive a Certificate of Completion, officially recognizing them as HIPAA certified.

Does HHS Accredit HIPAA Certification?

HSS does not endorse any third-party HIPAA certifications. Achieving HIPAA compliance isn’t a one-time task or an annual requirement. The process is continuous, requiring companies to stay current with changes in regulations. As technology is evolving rapidly, companies must ensure they are executing appropriate security measures to protect PHI.

In some cases, the Office of Civil Rights (OCR), a division of the HHS, may audit the HIPAA violations committed by organizations. These cases consist of random selection by the OCR, complaints filed against an organization, or a reported data breach.

It is important to note that passing an OCR audit does not signify ‘HIPAA certified’; it only indicates that the organization was compliant with HIPAA guidelines at the time of the audit. Having a HIPAA certification can help organizations prepare for audits, although HHS does not recognize these certifications as significant.

Note: Even if an external organization certifies a system, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) can still identify a security breach later on.

If you want to streamline your audits with automation by saving time and money – try VComply. The platform automates all audit processes and reporting, be it from risk identification to evidence collecting.

HIPAA Certification and How to Get One

Acquiring a HIPAA certification and being HIPAA compliant are two different things. Certification signifies that your facility has completed one or more educational courses with an internal or third-party expert to learn about HIPAA compliance. But a mere HIPAA certification won’t cover it if you’re working toward becoming a HIPAA-compliant facility. You must continue to maintain compliance.

Certification programs can give you the knowledge and resources needed to make smarter decisions about protecting patient data. Most certification courses are customized to fit the company or organization’s specific needs.

Earning a certificate of completion often requires passing an exam or facility test to prove the skills you’ve acquired. However, it’s important to note that a HIPAA compliance certification alone does not exempt you from any legal obligations related to HIPAA compliance, including the HIPAA Security Rule. This specific subset of HIPAA guidelines sets standards for protecting both physical PHI and electronic PHI (ePHI). Under the Security Rule, organizations must implement all administrative, physical, and technical measures to safeguard patient data.

Some third-party certification bodies offer different types of HIPAA certificates, such as:

• Certified HIPAA Professional (CHP) – teaches HIPAA basics, history, and applications.
• Cyber Security Awareness training – for both HIPAA and non-HIPAA programs
• Certified HIPAA Administrator (CHA) – for those overseeing service delivery
• Data Privacy Compliance – highlights the importance of HIPAA in safeguarding patient data and how compliance impacts the patient’s daily life.
• Certified HIPAA Security Specialist (CHSS) – a top-level certification program designed for those who already possess a CHP certification

HIPAA compliance certification verifies that a healthcare organization or provider has implemented the necessary measures to protect patient data as required by HIPAA regulations. It involves a thorough assessment of policies, procedures, and technical safeguards to ensure compliance with HIPAA standards.

Difference Between HIPAA Compliance and HIPAA Certification

In short, here are the main distinctions between HIPAA compliance and HIPAA certification:

• HIPAA compliance is a legal requirement for all healthcare organizations in the United States.
• HIPAA certification is not mandatory but may facilitate achieving compliance more efficiently.
• HIPAA compliance involves continual assessment, adjustment, and monitoring of processes.
• HIPAA certification programs are completed periodically to acquire new skills or stay updated on HIPAA developments.
• HIPAA compliance is an internal process, and failure to adhere to it can result in penalties and fines.
• HIPAA certifications are typically obtained from third-party experts or organizations and are generally optional.

Both HIPAA certifications and HIPAA compliance serve as valuable means to demonstrate to stakeholders and patients your commitment to safeguarding sensitive patient information.

Note: HIPAA violations can cost healthcare organizations up to $50k per violation. You are at a risk zone if your business is not compliant. Let VComply take care of your compliance and auditing needs.

Conclusion

HIPAA-compliant training and certification are essential for healthcare organizations of any size to protect their patient data, maintain regulatory compliance, and build trust with patients and stakeholders. By understanding and executing these robust security measures and regulations through HIPAA adherence and certification, you are safeguarding the sensitive data of patients and reducing the risk of data breaches. Additionally, HIPAA training and certifications will greatly improve efficiency by cutting down paperwork and simplifying procedures, helping you prioritize customer care.