URAC releases draft privacy standards for public comment
HIPAA Weekly Advisor, February 21, 2003
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The American Accreditation Healthcare Commission, also known as URAC, released draft standards for its "HIPAA Privacy Accreditation" program on February 10.
Facilities will soon be able to certify their HIPAA compliance programs with URAC, which will also offer a "HIPAA Security Accreditation" program. Health plans, providers, clearinghouses, and business associates can use the programs to demonstrate that their HIPAA compliance programs are on the right track.
According to URAC, accreditation will do the following for health care organizations:
- Allow internal verification of HIPAA privacy compliance efforts
- Provide a convenient source of industry best practices and certification by external reviewers
- Assure customers/patients that appropriate steps are being taken to protect health information
- Demonstrate to current and potential business partners good faith efforts to meet HIPAA requirements
- Support the organization's risk management efforts
- Allow the organization to demonstrate to regulators and other stakeholders that it has taken reasonable steps to comply with the HIPAA privacy rule
- Provide evidence to potentially reduce penalties/sentences for organizations that experience a privacy event or breach.
URAC accreditation will last for two years, at which time the accredited organization can submit a re-accreditation application and undergo a review by URAC before accreditation is granted for another two years.
Comments on the draft standards are due March 12.
Go to http://www.urac.org to read more.
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