From the November 2011 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine

CREATE A WORKPLACE CULTURE OF RESPECT FOR DATA PRIVACY AND SECURITY
No amount of safeguards can protect sensitive information if the workplace culture doesn’t exist to reinforce those measures and act as a first-line of defense. It is essential that day-to-day operations are managed with a sense of respect for data security and patient privacy. Here are some best practices around the office:

*Always close doors when talking on the phone about patients.

*Close exam room doors when discussing treatments and administering procedures.
*Avoid discussions of patients and their conditions in public areas.
*Ensure that you and your staff never leave voice mail messages detailing patient conditions or test results, unless you receive express permission from the patient in advance to do so.
*Do not use identifiable information that could reveal health issues when summoning patients in open settings, such as your waiting room.

Privacy training for new employees and refresher courses for existing employees are vital to ensuring that everyone who interacts with patients and patient information complies with HIPAA requirements.

PROTECT YOUR OWN PRIVACY
Beyond adhering to HIPAA regulations, there are simple steps that you as a physician can take to protect yourself and your practice from inadvertently compromising your privacy. For example, some physicians, especially those in smaller practices, still sometimes use their Social Security number as their provider identifier, putting themselves at considerable risk for identity theft and other fraud. To be more secure, obtain a separate tax identification number from the IRS (visit http://www.irs.gov for details). Additionally, CMS issues a national provider identifier (NPI) that is different from your Social Security number, and can be obtained, at no cost from: http://www.cms.gov/nationalprovidentstand/

Adopting and enforcing rigorous policies and procedures such as those outlined in this guide will help you manage risks while reaping the benefits that the use of electronic health information provides for your patients and your practice.

Dr. Tom Darr serves as chief medical officer of the OptumInsight Business Solutions segment of OptumInsight.

Darr is also a board certified emergency physician practicing at Jordan Valley Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah since 1983. He is also a clinical assistant professor at the University of Utah, having served in various teaching roles relating to emergency medicine over the last twelve years.

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