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Is Your Current Vendor HIPAA Prepared?
THREE QUESTIONS TO GAUGE PREPAREDNESS
 First, ask if there is anyone who oversees and/or is charged with insuring the confidentiality of their customer's materials. The answer you get to this question will tell you a lot about a potential partner's sensitivity and awareness of issues related to patient confidentiality.
Second, how well are employees educated about the importance of exercising discretion? Are they required to sign a confidentiality statement? Ask about the rate of employee turnover. It is more likely that an employer with a high rate of turnover does not have enough time with each of its employees to properly train them.
Third, what protections does the printer have in place to deal with anticipated threats to the privacy of information? Are employees encouraged to report incidents that violate or could potentially violate the company's policy regarding confidentiality?
This short list of questions is far from exhaustive but should set you in the right direction toward framing questions to adequately screen potential business partners. You may also want to review the proposed privacy and security standards for HIPAA. |
