The US Department of Health and Human Services are enforcing the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules.
But why should you care? Your pharmacy is so busy; you don’t have time to pay attention to this “meaningless” law. Apathy has taken over. There are too many important issues that demand your immediate attention. You must compare the cost of goods, address the reduction of fees received from Insurance companies and ensure that Medicare Part D and your state pharmacy board requirements are met. The list goes on and on like a bad dream. After you get all of this taken care of, you still have to operate your pharmacy in a very competitive market and make a profit.
Apathy in relation to HIPAA can literally sting you. The need for your pharmacy to have usable HIPAA policies and procedures will become evident if your pharmacy experiences any of the following:
- A patient files a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights (OCR)
- A lawsuit
- A natural disaster
More and more healthcare professionals have experienced HIPAA inspections. In some cases, these inspections are carried out during a Medicare license renewal or you may have had an inspection and not even known about it. An inspector, an attorney, or any customer can ask for:
- the “Privacy Officer” or
- a copy of your Notice of Privacy Practice
These questions are normally answered by a cashier or a technician. Can your cashier and technicians comfortably answer these two questions?
Training is your front line of defense. You need to ensure that your staff knows:
- Where the HIPAA Policies and Procedures are located
- How to protect a patient’s PHI
Their quick and accurate response protects your pharmacy when an attorney or representative asks for information. Law firms know what questions to ask and what information is permitted to be given to a customer.
If you view HIPAA as another insurance policy, it will be more palatable. There are portions of the law that are quite helpful.
Disaster Recovery Plan is your personal insurance policy during an emergency. All areas of our country are experiencing natural disasters. Television and live news alerts show us how unprepared most of our country is when dealing with disasters. These reports usually focus on the people and organizations that are unprepared. Do not allow your pharmacy to be one of these.
Apathy with regard to HIPAA can literally sting you. By preparing for the “unforeseen”, you will have an edge over your competitors. The solution is to open that dusty book behind the counter door or the computer program that is “rarely used.” Review it. Update it. And keep it current. The benefits are vast. You will ultimately protect your investment and your customers.
If you don’t have any policies and procedures established or have not updated your HIPAA Compliance Program since February 17, 2010, contact us.
