The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a restrictive data security law regulating US healthcare organizations’ use of protected health information (PHI). Covered entities and business associates handling US patients’ PHI are subject to HIPAA.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) doesn’t formally recognize the certification, it can be issued by private companies that specialize in HIPAA certification. HIPAA certification is not an obligatory training program; it is granted after a successful audit. The HIPAA certification audit proves that healthcare organizations met the standards of HIPAA and didn’t violate HIPAA guidelines at the time of the audit. It must be noted that HIPAA certification doesn’t mean the organization is HIPAA compliant. Third-party auditors give the certification, while the official HIPAA compliance process must be completed internally to properly secure patients’ data and avoid penalties and fines.
The course is not official but may better prepare a facility and its workers for achieving and maintaining compliance. It also may serve as a confirmation to patients and business associates that the organization is patient-first and approaches PHI with privacy and care.
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