By Jack Anderson
January 29, 2013
Compliance Helper has been focused on the small to medium sized healthcare organization for years and has developed solutions for even the single person company. With prices starting at $125 HIPAA compliance is achievable and affordable for even the 1099 worker. This is not a DVD or printed manual but a step by step process overseen by a privacy and security expert who can answer all of your questions, check your work, and help you develop a comprehensive privacy and security program. With the Compliance Meter(tm) you will be able to demonstrate your on-going compliance to your healthcare business partners.
With the Omnibus Final Rule now in place there is no longer any reason to delay. The final deadline is September 23, but your covered entity can and probably will start asking for proof of compliance much sooner. They have an oblgation to get “satisfactory assurances” that their business associates are complian, and are required to sever the business relationship if they discover a “pattern of non-compliance”.
Marianne says it best:
“No More Procrastination
The bottom line in all this is that business associates and their subcontractors of all sizes have to re-examine how they’re safeguarding their healthcare clients’ data.
If they don’t, they could find themselves coping with a federal investigation that could culminate with a fine big enough to hurt their profits - or even their long-term viability.
If smaller firms that only dabble in providing services to healthcare organizations are not prepared to meet their HIPAA privacy and security obligations, perhaps they should stick with courting the business of local restaurants, florists and hair salons and steer clear of serving the local clinic or hospital.”
http://www.healthcareinfosecurity.com/blogs/small-firms-big-hipaa-troubles-p-1412/p-2