The new privacy officer's game plan

Area of Science:

• Health Information Management
• Healthcare Compliance
• Privacy Law

Background:

• The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) established national standards for protecting sensitive patient health information.
• The designation of a privacy officer is a key requirement under HIPAA regulations.
• Health Information Management (HIM) professionals are well-positioned to assume these roles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the essential skills required for HIM professionals to succeed as HIPAA privacy officers.
• To provide a clear roadmap of the initial actions necessary for implementing the privacy officer role.
• To bridge the gap between HIM expertise and the demands of healthcare privacy compliance.

Main Methods:

• Review of HIPAA privacy regulations and guidance.
• Analysis of core competencies within Health Information Management.
• Identification of key responsibilities associated with the privacy officer role.

Main Results:

• Key skills include understanding of HIPAA, risk assessment, policy development, data breach management, and communication.
• Prioritization of tasks involves establishing a privacy program infrastructure, conducting initial privacy assessments, and developing foundational policies.
• The role demands a blend of technical HIM knowledge and specific privacy and security expertise.

Conclusions:

• HIM professionals can leverage their existing skills to excel as HIPAA privacy officers.
• A strategic approach to skill development and initial implementation is crucial for success in this mandated role.
• This presents a significant growth opportunity for the HIM profession within healthcare compliance.