Jericho, N.Y. — June 20
Health Care Compliance Strategies Inc. (HCCS), a provider of online health care compliance and competency training, announced the release of a new online multimedia HIPAA compliance training course, HIPAA for Business Associates (BAs). Responding to expanded HIPAA Privacy Rule and Security Rule requirements for vendors, HCCS has created an online course designed to assist health care vendors in providing experience-based training.
Historically, vendors were not directly accountable for HIPAA compliance, as HIPAA did not directly regulate the actions of organizations that provide products and services to health care facilities. The HITECH portion of the Patient Protection and Accountable Care Act (PPACA) has now made vendors directly accountable for HIPAA compliance with the use and disclosure requirements in the Privacy Rule and all of the Security Rule.
"HIPAA Privacy and Security rules are complex and it is imperative that BAs train their staff to safeguard against misuse and accidental disclosure of PHI,” said Ben Diamond, president of HCCS. "A lapse in compliance training can bring government intervention, large fines and unwanted media attention to the vendor and to the covered entities with which they work. Many provider organizations already require business associates to prove that they have conducted appropriate HIPAA training.”
Upon completion of this new HCCS training course, HCCS can provide a statement of training completion to covered entities.
Business associates have been defined by HHS as a person or entity that performs certain functions or activities involving the use or disclosure of protected health information (PHI), on behalf of, or while providing services to, a covered entity, such as a hospital, health plan, clearinghouse or other health care provider. Business associate services include legal, actuarial, accounting, consulting, data aggregation, management, administrative, accreditation and financial.
Source: HCCS
