Hipaa

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ericcoch

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wondering what is done in your departments for new members and HIPAA? I am helping the training officer with new trainings and topics that I feel are missing, I am taking on new member trainings. Looking at when they can go on ride alongs and feel that HIPAA would be an easy place to start. Let new members know what they can and can not say tomorrow at work or the town coffee stop.
 
Don't forget to address your state's privacy laws which may be more stringent than the Federal ones for privacy protection. Many quote some regulations as being from HIPAA when they are actually from the state statutes.
 
Does your department provide EMS transport (ambulance) and bill electronically for such services? The fact that you are just now looking to do some training with HIPAA got me asking and I suspect you are not a coverd entity.

If you are a covered entity per HIPAA definition, then you should already have an assigned privacy officer ( a HIPAA requirement). You should check with the privacy officer to determine what guidelines are in place for your HIPAA training (also a HIPAA requirement), ride alongs, etc.

That's just for starters. Let us know your status.
 
I highly suggest purchasing the DVD's from Wolfeirg, Page & Wirth and associates. They are experienced Paramedics and nationally known attorneys regarding EMS. The late James Page was the founder of the firm.

As well, each member of the health care team member is required to be reviewed on HIPAA each year. I personally test them so official documentation is on file.

http://www.pwwemslaw.com/content.aspx?id=6
 
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Ridryder911 said:
I highly suggest purchasing the DVD's from Wolfeirg, Page & Wirth and associates. They are experienced Paramedics and nationally known attorneys regarding EMS. The late James Page was the founder of the firm.

As well, each member of the health care team member is required to be reviewed on HIPAA each year. I personally test them so official documentation is on file.

http://www.pwwemslaw.com/content.aspx?id=6
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This is the program that we use as well.
 
We are a 911 transport ambulance, we, at this time, do not bill for service, I know the thought of not charging. Any way, I may have used the term HIPAA out of place. I am looking to do an information privacy lesson for new members, would a HIPAA class be under or over kill?
 
Are you from Vermont?

Here is the medical privacy page for your state:

http://www.vtmd.org/Guide/Consent for Treatment.html

Under Vermont law, the patient privilege statute, 12 V.S.A. §1612, provides greater protection than the HIPAA privacy rule and requires that doctors, chiropractors, dentists, nurses and mental health professionals must not disclose any information acquired in attending a patient unless the patient waives the confidentiality or it is waived by an express provision of law. Hospital patients and nursing home residents are further protected by the confidentiality provisions contained in the Patient Bill of Rights, 18 V.S.A. §1852(7) and the Nursing Home Bill of Rights, 33 V.S.A. §7301(8) which emphasizes that the patient/resident must authorize the release or use of their records outside of the treatment team or the facility. Where pharmacy, mental health treatment, or substance abuse treatment records are at issue, there are additional federal and state laws to consider as will be discussed below.
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You can reference the statutes mentioned and see how they apply to EMS. If you are licensed you will probably be held to the same standards.
 
Yeah, since you don't bill, you're not considered a covered entity and therefore not subject to HIPAA. Vent brought up a good point about state privacy laws. Perhaps your service's attorney could point you in the right direction as to what if any your state's laws would require?
 
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