One wrong text, email or other online communication can cost you tens of thousands of dollars in HIPAA fines and penalties. It doesn’t matter who you’re communicating with or why (patients, staff, providers, coaching, online patient care, consulting, etc.). A violation is a violation. And if you think it can’t happen to you, think again…
If you’re communicating private patient information online, no matter the format, you can be found guilty of violating CMS’ Guidelines on Telemedicine. These privacy rules can leave you paying massive fines just like the rest of HIPAA. And, these violations are not always caused by what you might think. For example, you may think you’re safe as long as you don’t communicate directly with patients – you’re wrong. The biggest violations generally occur when you communicate with other providers or your staff.
You can avoid getting found guilty of HIPAA violations for your online patient communications with a few simple changes to your current processes. That’s where healthcare attorney, Nicole Hughes Waid, Esq., can help. She conducted a 60-minute online training session that will provide you with the proven strategies you need to stay out of HIPAA hot water, HIPAA Compliance: Avoid Online Communication Danger Zones – you’ll be surprised by what can land you in serious trouble.
Here are just a few of the practical, step-by-step tactics you’ll receive to protect your practice from being charged with HIPAA violations for online communication of private patient information:
- Uncover dangers of using Skype and Facetime for online consultations
- Determine when your state laws surpass CMS’ HIPAA regulations
- Stop cross-state credentialing errors that can cost you your license
- Figure out if your “HIPAA compliant” software/cloud-based technology will really protect you
- Master how and what online private patient info must be monitored to pass an audit
- Prevent vendor breaches from leaving you responsible to pay the penalties
- Implement proven strategies to limit access to electronic patient information
- Protect yourself from vendor business agreement pitfalls
- Protect your data from subpar technical “experts” by asking the right questions
- Avoid patient communication blunders with proven medical applications
- Develop proven system backup and disaster plans to ensure data protection
- Prevent cross-state patient communications from damaging provider licenses
- Use appropriate connectivity to avoid unprotected data and massive fines
- And so much more…
IMPORTANT: This online training session is essential for ANY practice regardless of specialty or size that discusses or transfers private patient information online.
Remember, your online communications can NEVER really be erased. So, if you’re sending them incorrectly, and you’re audited, they’ll dig deep until they uncover ALL of your violations. And each violation identified can result in a hefty fine – the total can quickly add up. Don’t let this happen to you.
It doesn’t matter what specialty you are, or how big or small your practice is, your online communications of private patient information could be ticking time bombs just waiting to cause you a HIPAA explosion. Don’t get caught in the fall out. Watch this action-driven session and get everything you need to protect your practice from costly HIPAA violations. Don’t wait, sign up today for this must-attend online training session today.
Nicole focuses her practice on white-collar litigation, healthcare regulatory matters, compliance assessments, and data privacy issues. Nicole conducts internal investigations of companies when fraud is suspected, conducts risk assessments of corporate high-risk areas, and investigates data breach incidents.
She represents companies under civil and criminal investigation by the Department of Justice, as well as financial investigations by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Nicole regularly represents clients in complex litigation, including allegations of violations of the False Claims Act, Anti-Kickback Statute, HIPAA, and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
In addition, she assists companies with due diligence requirements regarding third party vendors, financial transactions, and mergers and acquisitions. Nicole was a federal prosecutor for 12 years where she honed her litigation and investigative skills.
She was the Chief Assistant United States Attorney, Middle District of Florida, Fort Myers Division from 2010-2013 and an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Colombia from 2002-2009, where she held a number of supervisory positions. During her tenure as a federal prosecutor, she handled complex white-collar matters including bank fraud, health care fraud, mortgage fraud, public corruption and national security matters. She uses her extensive experience with federal government to counsel clients on the handling of government investigations and regulatory issues.
She also assists companies in the implementation of effective and efficient compliance programs for companies and their global operations.While serving as a federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C., Nicole was heavily involved in the Community Prosecution and Project Safe Neighborhood programs. She prosecuted violent crime, narcotics cases and gang cases. During her tenure as a federal prosecutor, Ms. Waid gained in-depth experience in law enforcement training, compliance and community policing policies and programs.
Nicole uses this knowledge to conduct risk assessments for law enforcement agencies, assess policies and procedures, and conduct training for officers to implement new community policing standards.
Telemedicine is a new area for us, so it was useful information.
Orlando Gonzalez
Administrative Director of Health Information, Emergence Health Network
