Page 4 - HIPAA Guard Herald Aug and Sept 2018 e-Newsletter

HIPAA Guard H E R A L D 3. When asking a patient to fill out forms, provide a folder or clip board
cover so the patient can cover the information they are writing down the
YOUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER ON SURVIVING HIPAA forms. This point-of-care registration is nowadays being replaced by pre-
registration process. This process helps streamline the onboarding
#4 Privatize Intake Areas and Train process by collecting the patient information prior to appointment. This
Accordingly can be done both via phone or in person prior to the first visit with the
physician. Below is a tip sheet on how patient info intake can be
The Privacy Rule requires covered entities to implement REASONABLE secured when using telephones.
safeguards to limit incidental, and prevent unauthorized uses and
disclosures of PHI. To determine what is reasonable, the facility must ISSUE 09
evaluate the potential risks to PHI privacy and consider the impact on Aug & Sept 2018
patient care and administrative, and financial consequences when
implementing certain safeguards.

One concern is ‘privatizing’ the intake areas of patient information. A
facility does not have to construct sound proof private rooms to obtain
HIPAA compliance. The use of small cubicles or dividers, shields or
curtains , or any other similar barriers can be considered as
REASONABLE safeguards already.

Hospital staff assigned to take patient information during a doctor’s
visit, for example must be trained on how to go about taking the
information needed from the patient without compromising their PHI.
Best practices are :

1. Speak in a low voice when asking questions about patient
information or answering questions of the patient

2. When calling patients on queue and a loud speaker is used, refrain
from providing any patient identifiers e.g. a simple “Mr. Chan you
are next in line.”