How to Conduct a HIPAA Training Session for Employees
The Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 established broad federal regulations governing the privacy of individual-protected health information. HIPAA defines broad categories of health information, sets confidentiality standards and establishes stiff penalties if confidentiality is breached. This law affects every person who receives employer health benefits, so a training session as part of employee orientation is a prudent investment.
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Instructions
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Assemble binders for employees. These should include summary information about the HIPAA Privacy Rule and any policies or procedures adopted by your company regarding protected health information. Legal counsel or a HIPAA regulatory specialist should review the binders for completeness and accuracy.
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Convene a training session for affected employees. The session should last for roughly two hours in order to provide ample time for questions.
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Introduce the subject of HIPAA: explain its history, the current state of the law and common terms like "protected health information." Explain the legal repercussions of illegal disclosure of protected health information.
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Explain the policies and procedures of your company specific to HIPAA, including the exchange of information between the company and any third-party vendors providing services to employees, like labor unions or medical-insurance agencies.
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Provide employees with the opportunities to ask questions. Any questions that cannot be answered by the trainer should be recorded and then discussed with the employee later after the answer has been obtained.
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Provide all employees with an evaluation form (to improve future trainings) and a signed statement acknowledging their training for their permanent employee file.
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Tips & Warnings
Break your training into smaller modules and provide breaks or rewards for your employee's ongoing concentration.
HIPAA is a complex federal law that has been modified several times since its original passage in 1996. Before producing any training materials in-house, you should ensure that legal counsel or a health-compliance specialist has reviewed your materials for accuracy.
