Skip to main content

HIPAA & Chaplaincy

Chaplaincy & Recent Changes to HIPAA
Recent changes strengths the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and are designed to ease the public’s overall comfort with electronic medical recording keeping. One of the most significant changes to the HIPAA regulations is the new rules concerning the breach of protected health information (PHI).

What is a Breach?

A breach is, generally, an impermissible use or disclosure under the Privacy Rule that compromises the security or privacy of the protected health information such that the use or disclosure poses a significant risk of financial, reputational, or other harm to the affected individual.

What is an example of a breach PHI?

  • An employee accesses the record of a patient outside the performance of their job duties.
  • An unencrypted laptop containing PHI is lost or stolen.
  • PHI is sent to the wrong fax, mailing address, an email address or printer.

What happens if a breach occurs?
  • Generally speaking, your institution’s HIPAA compliance officer will need to be notified of all suspected breaches immediately upon discovery of the breach.
  • The HIPAA officer determines if there exists a reportable breach.
  • If a reportable breach of PHI has occurred your institution’s HIPAA compliance office handles the notification.
  • Every individual whose unsecured PHI has been breached must be notified in writing as soon as feasible and within a 60 day period.
  • Breaches are required to be reported to Health and Human Services (HHS).
  • If less than 500 individuals are affected: log and report annually.If more than 500 individuals are affected: HHS must be notified at the same time the patient is notified. The media must also be notified.


How can Clinical Chaplains help prevent breaches of PHI?

Be alert about your responsibilities to protect PHI while carrying out your tasks. Take special care in these situations:

  • When faxing be sure to always use your institution’s official fax cover sheet and reconfirm the recipient’s fax number before transmittal.
  • Do not put PHI, including patient stickers and medication labels, in regular trash. Shred or place in privacy bins for special disposal.
  • When retrieving information from the printer or faxing PHI determine each page corresponds to the correct patient
  • Double check the name of the patient before you put information in the envelopes for mailing.
  • Log off your computer prior to stepping away from it.
  • Use password protection and encryption features for your Blackberry, cell phone and other mobile devices such as thumb drives and CDs.
  • Only store PHI on mobile devices when absolutely necessary for your institution’s business purposes and delete as soon as feasible.
  • Encrypt any email containing PHI sent outside your institution.
  • Never share your password or use someone else’s sign on information as this could lead to you being disciplined by your institution.

For further information on the new HIPAA standards follow the link below:
US Department of Health and Human Services

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Association of Professional Chaplains Experiencing Significant Financial Challenges

The Association of Professional Chaplains recently informed its membership that the organization is experiencing “significant financial challenges.” The APC president, Sue Wintz, related in a letter to the APC membership that the association has made some $80,000 cuts to its budget. The president’s letter requested that APC members consider making a donation of at least $25, 00 to help off set any additional cuts which might have to be made to the organization’s budget. APC Board Certified Chaplains pay annual dues of $265.00 representing some of the highest fees in the profession.
Read more

BOARD CERTIFICATION FOR CLINICAL CHAPLAINS

The College of Pastoral Supervision & Psychotherapy CPSP is an international, theologically based covenant community, offering accreditation and certification to individuals and programs that meet standards of expertise in pastoral counseling, pastoral supervision and psychotherapy. CPSP confers Diplomate, Pastoral Counselor, Board Certified Clinical Chaplain and Board Certified Associate Clinical Chaplain credentials to persons who demonstrate competence, meet its standards, aspire to its principles, and commit to its discipline. CPSP confers accreditation on clinical pastoral education (CPE) programs and pastoral counseling training centers.CPSP a community in which power is located in the grass roots, with a minimal hierarchy and minimal budget.CPSP a community in which power is located in the grass roots, with a minimal hierarchy and minimal budget. The CPSP Chapter is a group of at least six members, but not more than twelve, who commit themselves to the Covenant and to furthe
Read more

CPSP CPE Trained Chaplains Gaining Ground in The US Army Corps

When newly ‘minted’ Army Chaplain Pete Christian recently graduated in September 2010 from the US Army Chaplain Basic Course in Fort Jackson, North Carolina he also soon afterwards became the first CPSP CPE trained Army Chaplain to receive the US Army 7- Sierra clinical specialty designator for Chaplains who have successfully completed advance training and demonstrated clinical competence in healthcare ministry. Owing to a recent change in Army leadership and policy, CPSP CPE trained Army chaplains who have successfully completed their CPE training in a medical center/hospital are now eligible (just like ACPE trained Chaplains) to apply for this Army Chaplain Corps clinical specialty designator. Chaplain Christian completed his CPE training at the VA Medical Center, in Salt Lake City, Utah where his CPE Supervisor, Lieutenant Colonel Mark Allison, who is also the State Chaplain for the Utah National Guard, said “I am doubly pleased about this news and shift in Army policy…both for Pete
Read more