Upon completion of this course, participants should be able to:

1. Comply with policies and procedures established by the employer’s Privacy Officer.
2. Comply with policies and procedures established by the employer’s Security Officer.
3. Determine the difference between dentists who are “covered entities” and those who are not.
4. Identify and protect patients’ Personal Health Information (PHI).
5. Assure that all patients have copies of the office’s Privacy Notice.
6. Address patients’ concerns about HIPAA regulations and forms.
7. Protect patient privacy by taking reasonable precautions to prevent inadvertent disclosure of protected information.

The HIPAA Privacy Rule and the HIPAA Security Rule are regulations that impose separate regulatory requirements on health plans, clearinghouses, and certain health care providers. Both regulations apply to dentists who are “covered entities” or “covered dentists”—those who electronically transmit health care information to dental plans. The Privacy Rule protects all individually identifiable health information (written, electronic, or spoken) and the Security Rule applies only to electronic PHI (public health information). The responsibilities of the Privacy Officer include:
 

• Firm understanding of the HIPAA Privacy Rule
• Development, audit, and update of office privacy policies and procedures
• Training of all employees on documenting Privacy-related incidents
• Ensuring proper use of Privacy documentation.
  

The responsibilities of the Security Officer include:

• Firm understanding of the HIPAA Security Rule
• Understanding of the risk management process
• Documentation of implementation efforts.
   

In the final section, Common HIPAA Myths and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ),  some of the most common questions that arise in the dental office are examined.  Questions such as:

• How specific can I be when sending reminder cards or leaving messages on answering machines?
• Must I give copies of my Privacy Notice to all patients to take home?

 are considered and answered.

Two examples of HIPAA Privacy Forms are also included and explained. The course  helps to make sense of what might otherwise be confusing rules.

The course also includes a glossary of dental terms.

1. HIPAA Responsibilities for Dental Team Members
2. Privacy Officer Responsibilities 
3. HIPAA Security Rule 
   1. HIPAA Privacy Form
   2. HIPAA Privacy Form 2
4. HIPAA Security Officer Responsibilities
5. Common HIPAA Myths and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)