The healthcare industry experienced a wave of change when the HITECH Act was enacted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  Suddenly, HIPAA compliance went from being viewed “simply as guidelines” to “expected compliance” with stiff fines and penalties.  Individual healthcare professionals as well as covered entities can now be charged with HIPAA/HITECH violations.  Forecasts for 2012 indicate another big wave lies ahead as the Office of Civil Rights (the HIPAA police) increases enforcement efforts against inappropriate use and disclosure of protected health information.

This course reviews the HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules and explains how the HITECH Act impacts the entire dental team.

By attending this program, you will:

• Review key components of the HIPAA Privacy and Security Regulations
• Understand the HITECH Act and how it impacts your practice
• Assess how patient data is handled and released in your practice
• Outline the steps for developing a roadmap for closing privacy and security gaps