Staying on top of HIPAA regulations is a responsibility not to be taken lightly. Healthcare facilities got a new rule handed down earlier this year. Radiologists were affected by this new rule as there are an impactful number of changes involved.
The newest rule has earned a title – “mega rule” because of the sheer quantity of changes which modify HIPAA privacy and security enforcement measures. It was issued by U.S. Department of Health & Human Services in January and went into effect in late March.
Radiologists aren’t looking at the mega rule as an earth-shattering event. In fact, many already foresaw the changes and were in the process of ensuring that their practice could honor the alterations. However, due to the number of new regulations, many radiologists are intimidated. It’s no surprise: the mega rule takes 563 pages to explain the various small alterations being made.
The tweaks to the existing privacy and security rules include the need for updates on various forms, internal procedure changes and more training or retraining for radiology staff members.
As for daily tasks that the average radiology department will see, the mega rule’s impact is slight. For instance, charting, consulting with other specialists and doctors, reading studies and consulting with patients will likely not change in most radiology departments. The biggest difference will be noticed in administrative procedures. It’s when the radiologist and staff move away from the treatment portion of their work that they’ll notice the full effects of the mega rule.
Most notably, monetary fees associated with violating HIPAA security and privacy rules have increased. Not only are the violation penalties more extreme, the rules regarding privacy and security have gotten tougher. The regulation role of the subcontractors and business associates of the radiology facilities have been made clearer and more stringent. The breach notification rules have significantly changed, which will require a close look by radiology administrators.
If there is one overarching theme to the mega rule, it’s the focus on enforcement. HIPAA is not a passing trend, and the mega rule seems to point this out quite clearly. The mega rule is viewed by some in the industry as an extension of what was started in 2009 with the HITECH Act and its focus on enforcement.
Radiology information systems are experiencing an evolution with more emphasis on sharing and storing information across platforms. While these changes are underway, they’re wise to address training at the same time. For instance, Radiology departments and facilities that have already been audited say that the one recommendation they have for other operations is that they take appropriate steps in training staff on the tweaks made by the mega rule.
Staying abreast of the latest information handed down by federal authorities is something OffSite Image Management, Inc., takes seriously. With a keen eye on the growth of digital imaging, OffSite provides solutions that protect patient information while making it readily available to authorized sources.