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Train your physicians on HIPAA privacy and security

HIPAA Training Advisor, May 15, 2008

Training physicians about HIPAA compliance is difficult. Physicians can be quite independent and strong-minded, but compliance officers may be more inclined to perceive and describe physicians with these traits as old-fashioned and stubborn.

But as senior leaders of the clinical staff, physicians are immersed in PHI all day. Training them to comply with HIPAA privacy and security requirements is daunting, but it’s also necessary.

Unlike others, physicians work independently, so organizing or scheduling group training is difficult. Individual, one-on-one-training is slow and time-consuming.

The number of physicians on staff and their schedules will determine whether brief one-on-one training sessions will be necessary.

A multifaceted approach that includes presentations, self-study, privacy and security rounds, brief reminders, and signage works best, says Chris Simons, RHIA, director of HIMS and privacy officer at Spring Harbor Hospital in Westbrook, ME.

And stay away from hokey training methods. “Don’t patronize and don’t waste their time,” she adds. “[Focus] on one-to-one or small group training, or have self-studies they can get through fairly quickly.”

Some physicians are more old-fashioned than others. But Simons says most are willing to change their ways, especially when they’re convinced it will benefit them, their organization, and their patients.

“As with anything else, if the change benefits them and their practice and/or their patients, they are most likely to go through the adoption phase,” she adds. “Unfortunately, there are a fair number of misperceptions about HIPAA, and many docs see it as a barrier to providing continuous quality care.”

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