Any individual or entity that handles protected health information (PHI) is required to follow HIPAA rules and receive training to ensure compliance.
HIPAA compliance training isn't just for doctors and nurses; it is required for a wide range of individuals and organizations, including:
Healthcare providers at the frontline of patient care who interact with PHI daily. This category includes:
Because of their direct access to patient information, healthcare providers need to be trained to ensure that PHI is handled, shared, and stored in a way that complies with HIPAA regulations.
Aside from direct care providers, non-clinical staff in healthcare facilities may also encounter PHI. This group includes:
Since these employees manage patient files, handle billing information, or answer patient calls, they must know how to protect PHI in digital and paper forms.
Health plans encompass organizations that manage and store PHI to determine patient benefits and coverage. This includes:
Employees of health plans handle sensitive data related to patient care and finances. Hence, they must undergo HIPAA compliance training to ensure that claims processing, billing, and other administrative tasks adhere to HIPAA rules.
A business associate is any entity or individual that works with a covered entity and handles PHI on their behalf. Examples of business associates include:
Business associates are "directly liable and subject to civil penalties for failing to safeguard electronic protected health information in accordance with the HIPAA Security Rule," says the HHS. Therefore, any third-party vendors with access to PHI must also receive HIPAA training to avoid breaches and ensure the safe handling of patient data.
Medical device manufacturers that handle or collect PHI from patients using their devices are also subject to HIPAA compliance. Companies that create devices like wearable health monitors, diagnostic tools, or any technology that records patient data must ensure their staff is HIPAA-trained.
Pharmaceutical companies conducting clinical trials or research often gather and store PHI. Researchers and employees managing this data need HIPAA training to ensure compliance during trials, research documentation, and drug development processes.
Organizations dealing with PHI generally designate a compliance officer responsible for ensuring HIPAA adherence. Legal teams must be well-versed in HIPAA regulations to provide accurate advice on compliance, data breaches, and investigations.
Even though volunteers and interns may not be permanent employees, they often have access to PHI when working in healthcare facilities. Proper HIPAA training ensures they understand the privacy standards they must follow, no matter how temporary their role is.
See also: Developing a HIPAA compliant training policy
Effective HIPAA training must be comprehensive, covering all the important aspects of privacy and security of PHI. Key components of the training include:
Training should begin with a basic overview of HIPAA, including the:
See also: Understanding and implementing HIPAA rules
Employees need to understand what constitutes PHI under HIPAA, which includes any information that can identify a patient such as:
It’s also important to differentiate between PHI and ePHI (electronic PHI) since handling requirements differ based on the form of the data.
HIPAA grants patients rights regarding their PHI, and employees must be trained on these rights.
Training should outline the appropriate methods for safeguarding PHI, both in paper and electronic formats. Employees must know how to:
See also: HIPAA Compliant Email: The Definitive Guide
HIPAA compliance training must teach employees how to recognize and respond to data breaches.
Learn more:
Training should emphasize the responsibility that business associates have under HIPAA. Employees working with third-party vendors should ensure that business associate agreements (BAAs) are in place to hold these vendors accountable for maintaining PHI security.
For those handling ePHI, security awareness training should cover topics such as:
HIPAA training is required at various stages during an employee’s tenure to ensure continuous compliance and knowledge. Here’s when it should be conducted:
While HIPAA does not specify an exact frequency for retraining, best practices suggest the following timeline:
Go deeper: How regular HIPAA training supports HIPAA compliance efforts
The purpose of HIPAA compliance training is to educate employees and organizations about their legal responsibilities under HIPAA. It teaches them how to protect PHI, handle patient data appropriately, avoid breaches, and ensure patient rights are respected. Ultimately, it helps reduce the risk of non-compliance and data breaches.
Failing to provide HIPAA compliance training can lead to significant consequences, such as:
Yes, HIPAA compliance training can be conducted online. Online training is a flexible and cost-effective way to meet compliance requirements, especially for organizations with remote or geographically dispersed teams.
See also: HIPAA training courses and programs