Keeping in mind there is a possibility of exploitation of protected medical information, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act was enforced. This Act aims at controlling fraud related to medical records of patients. HIPAA has various rules and regulations that specify the usage and access of sensitive patient information.
HIPAA exams are made available for all health care workers dealing with patient health information so that they can be aware of their duties towards safeguarding sensitive information and the regulations and rules that HIPAA lays down. It is up to you to choose from among the various training programs available according your specific requirements.
When HIPAA rules are not strictly adhered to, there are severe implications. The penalties range from fines to imprisonment or both depending on the type of offense committed. When some employees are seen committing violations repeatedly, they are bound to lose their license to work and the health care organization may also be put out of practice. Hence, it is highly essential that all health care workers handling sensitive patient information must be properly trained so that 100% compliance is seen. This will ensure lesser violations.
Six key features of HIPAA Exams are mentioned below:
• All the material for the training program is often made available to you mainly through PowerPoint and other types of presentations. This makes the lessons easy to grasp. There is an option of online training, and if you choose that, you can download these presentations and use them as and when you desire.
• As mentioned earlier, training sessions are provided in classrooms as well as online. You can choose the medium that is most convenient for you. If you have a busy work schedule, online training will benefit you greatly as you can work around your work timings to complete your course.
• The cost of HIPAA training varies with the type of course as well as the training organization. You can look for a couple of good courses and make your decision looking at the comparative costs. However, make sure you don't compromise for the quality of training. Choose only a good, reputed organization.
• Once you complete your course, you will most likely have to take an exam. Again, you can do this in the classroom or online. Once you pass the exams, you have successfully completed your HIPAA training.
• To prove that you have indeed completed the training you need a certificate. Successful completion of the exam entitles you to a certification. There are different types of certifications provided based on the type and duration of your course.
• As HIPAA regulations are continuously being modified and altered, it is essential that you keep yourself up to date with the newest additions. For this, you can take a fresher course after every six months to a year. This is also very important as not knowing the rules can lead to accidental violations.
It is the health care organization and its employees' responsibility to safeguard the patient information and HIPAA exams are the medium for them to make sure they are complying with the rules. It teaches you the processes you need to perform and this in turn helps in fewer violations.
