Semin Speech Lang 2006; 27(2): 089-100
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-939941
Copyright © 2006 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

HIPAA Privacy Regulations

Ingrida Lusis1 , 3 , Amy Hasselkus2 , 3
  • 1Director of Health Care Regulatory Advocacy, Rockville, Maryland
  • 2Associate Director, Health Care Services in Speech-Language Pathology, Rockville, Maryland
  • 3American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Rockville, Maryland
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
02 May 2006 (online)

ABSTRACT

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) impacts all health-care professionals, including speech-language pathologists (SLPs). The administration simplification section of HIPAA includes specific regulations designed to protect the privacy of an individual's health records. These privacy regulations are not designed to impede upon essential health-care practices, but do require that covered providers take reasonable steps to limit the use and disclosure of protected health information. Important aspects of the privacy regulations include the development of facility- or practice-specific privacy policies, the development of a privacy manual, staff training on privacy policies and procedures, and the drafting and posting of a notice of privacy practices. In addition, authorization forms are mandated for instances of use and disclosure of public health information not related to treatment, payment, or health-care operations.

REFERENCES

  • 1 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association . Code of ethics (revised).  ASHA. 2003;  23(suppl) 13-15
  • 2 Koshar L, Bugdanowitz L. Strategies in measuring performance in achieving HIPAA compliance.  J Health Care Compliance. 2003;  5 49-51
  • 3 Cooper A, Rizek J. The HIPAA Privacy Rule, act II: auditing compliance program effectiveness.  J Health Care Compliance. 2005;  7 61-62 83

APPENDIX A RECOMMENDED WEB SITES

  • American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)

  • www.ahima.org

  • American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)

  • www.asha.org/about/legislation-advocacy/federal/hipaa/

  • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (HIPAA information)

  • www.cms.hhs.gov/hipaa/hipaa2

  • National Provider Identifier

  • https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov

  • US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Civil Rights-HIPAA

  • www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa (provides extensive educational and enforcement information)

  • Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI)

  • www.wedi.org (provides extensive information about many aspects of HIPAA implementation. See especially the document “Background on Electronic Health Records for Small Practices White Paper” (3/15/05). Access by finding the page for Strategic National Implementation Process (SNIP), then scroll to “What's New Archives.” Scroll to 3/15/05 and see title).

Ingrida Lusis

Director of Health Care Regulatory Advocacy, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

10801 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852

Email: Ilusis@asha.org