How to Talk to Someone About a HIPAA Violation

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act or HIPAA contains rules for protecting patient information. Once in awhile, someone lets something slip. Having a conversation about a HIPAA violation doesn't have to be a trial, but addressing the violation and talking about it keeps the reputation of the workers and the office to a higher standard.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Document the violation. Yes, it might seem excessive, but as with anything that happens in an office, a policy of documenting any problem is best. Get the pertinent information (but don't leave it lying around).
2. Get a private meeting. Nobody likes to be called out on something like a HIPAA violation in a group setting, and a one-on-one conforms more to the spirit of HIPAA: keep it quiet.
3. Be frank. When the subject comes up, stick to the facts and don't beat around the bush. Sparing feelings can sometimes result in abstractions and errors. If there was a HIPAA violation, whoever was responsible has to face up to it.
4. Don't mix it in with other things (Oh, yeah, and you're always late, too!) Treat the HIPAA violation as its own issue. Anything else will cause confusion.
5. Try to analyze whether the violation of HIPAA will become a pattern with an individual or whether it was an honest mistake. Mistakes happen, but gossip addiction happens too. Some people just like to talk, and some talk too much. Decide whether an individual will be a liability to an office because of repeatedly revealing confidential information.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't make a mountain out of a molehill. It might be tempting; sometimes overreacting is a therapeutic exercise. But in the long run, it will almost always cause trouble.
• Don't fly off the handle. A calm manner and a reasonable conversation go a long way. As soon as a pattern of recrimination starts, the gap between two people gets bigger.