HIPAA compliance training equips healthcare professionals with up-to-date HIPAA-related knowledge and security skills. Such training can be done by healthcare organizations in-house or through a third-party provider. The question of which technique to use depends on the healthcare organization as both practices present pros and cons.
Outsourcing may offer specialized expertise while internal sourcing may deliver a degree of personalization. Given this, the answer may be a combination of both. Proper HIPAA training minimizes human error, safeguards patient privacy, and ensures regulatory compliance by teaching about the HIPAA Act.
Learn about: Developing a HIPAA compliant training policy
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.
See also: HIPAA compliant email: The definitive guide
HIPAA compliance training
HIPAA training is a key component of HIPAA compliance because it equips employees with the knowledge and skills needed to handle PHI securely. Statistics demonstrate that human error and employee negligence are major factors that lead to noncompliance. Healthcare employees must know the legal implications of noncompliance and the importance of protecting patients.
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 adds that healthcare organizations must display security awareness and implement a strong training program. 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 and how. Healthcare providers should create training material specific to their organization’s policies and procedures. Then, they should implement the training program, evaluate it, and restart the cycle.
HIPAA compliance training in-house
For some healthcare organizations, providing HIPAA training in-house is straightforward. Small and/or rural clinics with reduced budgets and fewer employees may find in-house training more effective. On the other hand, large organizations with large budgets may find that they can handle hiring an on-staff training team. No matter what, in-house training means establishing a complete training program from start to finish. In-house trainers must identify training needs, create the training material, train staff, and follow up with an evaluation.
More info: Staff training in rural clinics
Pros of in-house training
- More control, personalization, and oversight
- A deeper understanding of an organization’s work culture
- The ability to tailor compliance strategies
- Immediate proximity to internal operations
- Faster response times to compliance questions
Cons of in-house training
- Limited exposure of on-staff trainers
- Lack of access to standardized training material
- Difficulty in finding and hiring permanent, internal training staff
- Potential for bias
- Potential for missed updates to related guidelines
HIPAA compliance training through a third-party provider
Healthcare organizations can also obtain HIPAA compliance training through an external, third-party company that specializes in HIPAA regulations. An outside training team would create and manage HIPAA training, bringing it to different organizations, as hired and needed. Outsourcing allows providers to tap experts and stay current in HIPAA and other health-related legislation.
Read further: Managing HIPAA compliance with third parties
Pros of external training
- Use of a predesigned program
- An up-to-date foundation of HIPAA
- More access when delivered online
- Cost efficient programming
- Access to new technologies
- Access to specialized knowledge
Cons of external training
- Cost prohibitive to smaller organizations
- Lack of access to outside trainers to hire
- One-size-fits-all approaches that don’t work for everyone
- Hiring another business associate
- Limited access to 24/7 help
A hybrid approach to HIPAA compliance training
A hybrid approach to HIPAA compliance training combines outsourcing with an in-house team. It allows healthcare organizations to better allocate resources and employees, and redirect focus toward improving patient care and satisfaction. It also allows organizations to maintain direct control over compliance, ensuring their programs align with their unique operations and culture.
In a hybrid model, compliance functions, such as policy development, staff training, and internal audits, may be managed by an in-house team. Meanwhile, specialized and resource-intensive tasks, such as data assessment, third-party audits, and certain technology-related functions, may be outsourced to external trainers with expertise in healthcare compliance. The exact functions and breakdown would need to be decided on an individual basis.
A mix of in-house and outsourced training would give organizations more flexibility and more accessibility. It would allow healthcare organizations to focus their resources while benefiting from external, specialized knowledge and resources.
Related: HIPAA training courses and programs
Benefits of proper HIPAA compliance training
The decision between an internal or a third-party training team is up to every organization on their own. They would need to weigh the advantages and disadvantages critically. Proper HIPAA training is useful as it highlights HIPAA and how much it values the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of health information.
Training healthcare staff on HIPAA compliance helps maintain patient privacy and data security. It also teaches employees to recognize and respond to potential threats such as data breaches and cyberattacks. By keeping staff informed, healthcare organizations reduce the risk of violations and enhance the overall security posture of an organization.
Kapua Iao
