Employee awareness training verifies that staff are aware of the HIPAA Act and adhere to its guidelines. Supporting a training program with an assessment keeps organizations on top of issues and changing healthcare regulations. Evaluating the effectiveness of training programs encourages HIPAA compliance by organizations and their employees.
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Healthcare organizations and HIPAA compliance
The U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a federal law that sets standards for the safeguarding of protected health information (PHI). Healthcare organizations must comply with HIPAA to protect patient privacy and safeguard sensitive health information. The HIPAA Privacy Rule establishes standards for protecting patients’ PHI, while its Security Rule sets the guidelines for safeguarding electronic PHI (ePHI).
Any party involved in the handling of PHI must be HIPAA compliant. HIPAA requires healthcare organizations and their business associates to demonstrate HIPAA compliance to avoid data breaches and HIPAA violations. Compliance means following the administrative simplification regulations and utilizing the act’s administrative, physical, and technical measures, such as providing training to employees on security.
HIPAA compliant employee awareness training
HIPAA training equips employees with the knowledge and skills needed to handle PHI securely.
The Privacy Rule mandates that “a covered entity must train all members of its workforce on the policies and procedures with respect to [PHI] . . . as necessary and appropriate for the members of the workforce to carry out their functions within the covered entity." The Security Rule requests healthcare organizations to implement their security awareness and training programs. Training should include, but not be limited to:
- HIPAA and its guidelines
- What to do after a HIPAA violation
- The proper use, disclosure, and safeguarding of PHI
- Current cybersecurity features utilized
Organizations must determine who needs to be trained (e.g., full-time employees, part-time employees, contractors, and other relevant personnel) and how. They should create training material specific to their organization’s policies and procedures. Then, they should implement the training program, followed by an evaluation.
Evaluating employee awareness training
The evaluation of a training program is the process used to assess how training impacts performance and behavior. Under HIPAA that might mean a demonstrated use of security measures or an understanding of when to include PHI in communication. If a HIPAA audit or breach report reveals that employees are not fully HIPAA compliant, altered or additional training may address these gaps.
Evaluation should be continuous, and improvements should be made based on the assessment along with performance metrics. The following three evaluation methods are useful for identifying areas of improvement and refining training.
1. Assess material comprehension. Measure employees' understanding of HIPAA and cybersecurity through quizzes, discussions, practical demonstrations, surveys, and forms.
2. Ask for feedback. Ask staff for their thoughts on the training program's content, delivery, and relevance through a form, a survey, or an email.
3. Monitor adherence. Evaluate how employees follow their training through audits, spot checks, or incident reports.
The idea is to gauge the relevance and usefulness of the training. With thorough evaluation, organizations can adjust training policies and procedures and improve training outcomes.
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Regularly review, improve, and update training with evaluation
Training healthcare staff on HIPAA compliance maintains patient privacy and data security. Evaluating this training, therefore, ensures healthcare employees stay on top of HIPAA and protect patients from breaches. By keeping staff informed about regulatory updates and organizational policies, training supports compliance and vigilance, thereby reducing the risk of HIPAA violations.
After evaluation, guarantee that employees remain up to date on HIPAA by:
- Scheduling refresher courses
- Encouraging staff to research on their own
- Fostering a culture of accountability
FAQs
Who needs to complete HIPAA training?
All employees, contractors, volunteers, and any personnel who have access to PHI must complete HIPAA training.
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Who is responsible for overseeing HIPAA training?
The HIPAA Privacy and Security officer is responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing the HIPAA training program.
How often should refresher training be conducted for healthcare employees?
Refresher training should be conducted regularly, at least annually, and whenever there are updates to HIPAA regulations or organizational policies. Ongoing education keeps staff up to date with the latest best practices and security threats.
What topics should HIPAA training cover?
HIPAA training should cover the Privacy Rule, Security Rule, and the Breach Notification Rule. Topics include the proper use and disclosure of PHI, safeguards to protect ePHI, recognizing and reporting security incidents, and the specific roles and responsibilities of employees regarding HIPAA compliance.
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