Hipaa Social Media Violations - Widespread, Risky, Highly Visible - Learn The Two Simple Steps To Comply With Hipaa
Learn what makes patient communications PHI, how to use websites, social media, email and text within HIPAA rules, and the policies providers and business associates need.
Speaker
Paul R Hales
HIPAA attorney · Hales Law Group · JD, Columbia Law School
Overview
Patient attraction is big business, and the websites, social media, surveys, email and texting tools that vendors sell are all subject to HIPAA rules that are often overlooked. A single look at a provider's website can reveal a violation. This 60-minute webinar on HIPAA social media violations explains how to communicate with patients compliantly.
Many violations happen through unencrypted email and text. Even a simple appointment reminder, birthday greeting, checkup reminder or balance notice is PHI.
You'll learn the provider's duty to warn patients about unencrypted email, the consent safe harbor, what to do when a patient refuses, how business associates can communicate on a provider's behalf, and the policies and documentation that show compliance.
Why attend: Providers and business associates want to use patient engagement tools fully while avoiding government penalties and patient lawsuits. If a patient refuses unencrypted email after being warned, that restriction must be followed strictly. The session suits HIPAA, compliance, privacy and security officers, practice, office, contracts and health information managers, C-suite and CIOs, IS managers, chief clinical officers, healthcare counsel and HR.
What’s covered
- What information makes a message subject to HIPAA, and what PHI is
- Patient engagement tips that protect privacy and PHI while building the relationship
- Social media: reviews, testimonials and likes
- Marketing and patient communication: phone calls, emails and text messages
- Websites: what to post and not to post
- Portable devices and electronic communications networks
- The safe harbor for obtaining patient consent to unencrypted email and text
- What to do if a patient won't accept PHI by unencrypted email or text
- Requirements for business associates communicating with patients, and protecting them in the business associate agreement
- How providers and business associates can work together to avoid violations
- Documentation that proves compliance
- Policies and procedures for your HIPAA compliance program
Who should attend
What you get
About the speaker
"Paul Hales received his Juris Doctor degree from Columbia University Law School and is licensed to practice law before the Supreme Court of the United States. He is an expert on HIPAA Privacy, Security, Breach Notification and Enforcement Rules with a national HIPAA consulting practice based in St. Louis. Paul is the author of all content in The HIPAA E-Tool, an Internet-based, Software as a Service product for health care providers and business associates."

