Q. Will sending appointment reminder postcards violate HIPAA?
A. It is A-OK to send an appointment reminder card which simply states the date/time of the appointment. However, confidentiality would be violated if you provide both the patient's name and reason for the visit (e.g. Mr. Jones, this is a reminder of your July 17, 2007 appointment for your crown).
Showing posts with label HIPAA Compliance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HIPAA Compliance. Show all posts
Friday, July 6, 2007
Monday, May 28, 2007
HIPAA Privacy Rules in Dentistry
Q. May a physician send out appointment-reminder postcards?
A. Yes, The HIPAA Privacy Rules allow a physician to communicate with patients, including communications to the patient's home. However, privacy and confidentiality must be maintained. For example, it is A-OK to send a postcard reminder with the date and time of the next appointment. It is not acceptable to send a postcard with specific treatment information such as "Mr. Smith, your dentures are ready".
A. Yes, The HIPAA Privacy Rules allow a physician to communicate with patients, including communications to the patient's home. However, privacy and confidentiality must be maintained. For example, it is A-OK to send a postcard reminder with the date and time of the next appointment. It is not acceptable to send a postcard with specific treatment information such as "Mr. Smith, your dentures are ready".
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
HIPAA Privacy Rules
Q. Can I still call out patients' names in the waiting room?
A. Yes, it is OK to call out the patient’s full name. For example… it is fine for the receptionist to announce in the waiting room, "Mary Jones, we are ready for your now". However…"John Smith, your dentures are ready is inappropriate". Thus, under HIPAA Privacy Rules, it is acceptable to call out a patients name, but not combined with particulars such as the reason for their visit. In addition, please be careful about the vollume of your voice when discussing a patient in the office, whether it be on the phone, in an operatory or corridor.
A. Yes, it is OK to call out the patient’s full name. For example… it is fine for the receptionist to announce in the waiting room, "Mary Jones, we are ready for your now". However…"John Smith, your dentures are ready is inappropriate". Thus, under HIPAA Privacy Rules, it is acceptable to call out a patients name, but not combined with particulars such as the reason for their visit. In addition, please be careful about the vollume of your voice when discussing a patient in the office, whether it be on the phone, in an operatory or corridor.
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Confidentiality of Printed Patient Schedules
Q: Does HIPAA regulate where printed patient schedules are placed in the dental office?
A: Yes. Some offices may print out the patient schedule for the day and post it for professional staff. Often the schedule is posted where it can be seen by a patient - either in the examining room, or in a corridor, or on a door. Where it is placed may result in an unauthorized disclosure of patient information. Offices must make an effort to protect identifiable personal health information on a schedule of appointments, but this does not mean that the use of patient schedules is prohibited. If a schedule is placed in an operatory, with the patient’s back to the wall where it is hung, this would likely be considered sufficient protection of patient information.
Another approach is to place the printed side of the schedule facing the wall. Then one has to simply turn the bottom of the page up to reveal the schedule. An office that shows it has made a conscious effort to protect such information by placing it in a location accessible to professional staff, but with minimum access by patients in the office, will not be in violation of the HIPAA privacy rule to use printed patient schedules.
Ref. California Dental Association
A: Yes. Some offices may print out the patient schedule for the day and post it for professional staff. Often the schedule is posted where it can be seen by a patient - either in the examining room, or in a corridor, or on a door. Where it is placed may result in an unauthorized disclosure of patient information. Offices must make an effort to protect identifiable personal health information on a schedule of appointments, but this does not mean that the use of patient schedules is prohibited. If a schedule is placed in an operatory, with the patient’s back to the wall where it is hung, this would likely be considered sufficient protection of patient information.
Another approach is to place the printed side of the schedule facing the wall. Then one has to simply turn the bottom of the page up to reveal the schedule. An office that shows it has made a conscious effort to protect such information by placing it in a location accessible to professional staff, but with minimum access by patients in the office, will not be in violation of the HIPAA privacy rule to use printed patient schedules.
Ref. California Dental Association
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Dental Record Storage/HIPAA Compliance
During many of our on-site safety surveys, we have documented that many dental offices are not maintaining security of their patent's dental records. Charts are often left on open shelves or unlocked file cabinets. When you leave your office at the end of the day, can you be confident that patient records are truly protected from access by contracted housekeeping workers or other maintenance staff. The federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) sets a national standard for privacy of health information. Make sure that you secure all your office dental records properly...isn't that the way you would like your own dental and medical records maintained?
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