As you are probably already aware, in February 2010, several amendments to the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules within the HITECH Act created new requirements and restrictions to healthcare organizations and their business associates. Failing to comply with these requirements can bring forth monetary penalties of up to $1.5 million annually and criminal penalties for individuals or employees of covered entities or business associates.
What does this mean for Cosmopolitan Medical?
As a fully HIPAA-compliant medical answering service, as soon as the new regulations were put into effect, Cosmopolitan Medical Communications took all measures to ensure our organization was compliant and our team members were properly trained. We took the steps to implement appropriate HIPAA written policies and procedures that comply with the Business Associate provisions of the privacy rule. Our organization has an appointed HIPAA Security Officer on staff that enforces a system to identify any breaches, implement a complaint system and develop a sanctions policy. Cosmopolitan Medical wants our clients to feel at ease knowing that your patient calls are being properly handled by our team members.
What does this mean for Healthcare Organizations?
Your patients want to know that their information is secure and private, so when handing over any private information to a third party entity such as a call center, it is important for you as a healthcare provider to ensure that all members of the organization are well trained in HIPAA policies and procedures. Even though Business Associates are now required by law and held accountable for HIPAA compliance, any violations can end up penalizing you as a healthcare provider as well. By confirming that the people and organizations you outsource to are compliant, you are one-step ahead in keeping your patients information secure. Please know that you should always be able to ask your answering service for verification of their privacy guidelines and their training procedures. Cosmopolitan Medical is always happy to provide this information.
