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Q&A: HIPAA training for staff not involved in patient care

Physician Practice Insider, December 16, 2014

Q: Is it necessary for physician practices to provide HIPAA training for all workforce members, even those who are not involved in patient care (e.g., janitorial staff, administration, nonclinical roles)?

A: Yes, absolutely. In addition to the aforementioned roles, don't forget to train volunteer and contracted staff. You might be surprised how often these nonclinical staff members are in a position to access PHI. They must be trained in how to handle it just like all other staff and must understand the importance of not sharing any information with those who do not need to know it. I recommend annual, documented training.

Editor’s note: Chris Simons, MS, RHIA, director of health information and privacy officer at Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth-Hitchcock in Keene, New Hampshire, answered this question for HCPro’s Medical Records Briefing newsletter.

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