Now that the nation is making strides in vaccinating everyone against the coronavirus, healthcare practices are finally feeling a sense of “back to business.” But because of the effects of the pandemic, it will probably never again be “business as usual.”
All businesses had to make critical changes to how they operate. For example, healthcare practices added enhanced safety protocols to their daily routine and began to offer telehealth visits. These new policies and procedures were often implemented swiftly and with little consideration for HIPAA or OSHA compliance.
Though the pandemic did not initiate permanent changes to HIPAA, there was an unprecedented amount temporary flexibility introduced that made it easier for healthcare providers to practice during the outbreak. However, all HIPAA rules did remain in effect. Over the past 12 months, compliance enforcement was eased, and certain elements became discretionary. But now however, HIPAA violations are again being routinely evaluated, and breaches are being met with more severe sanctions.
OSHA is able to use its authority to set temporary emergency standards, and new guidance was announced at the end of January 2021 to encourage employers to take stricter action in the areas of safety protocols, vaccinations and sanitation. These revised coronavirus safety standards are more rigid and will be more uniformly enforced. And like HIPAA, the civil penalty amounts for OSHA violations have been increased significantly.
Consider engaging Office and Practice Solutions to help you provide a safe and healthy workplace for your employees, and to ensure that your patients’ privacy is being protected. OPS will evaluate your practice to:
- acknowledge what you are already doing well,
- identify process opportunities, and
- perform audits for HIPAA and OSHA deficiencies that, if left unaddressed, could result in costly sanctions and fines.
OPS can also assist with these remedial measures:
- comprehensive HIPAA and OSHA training seminars
- essential HIPAA and OSHA forms for employees and patients.
Contact Sari Schiff at 414-759-4168 today to arrange your complimentary audit from Office and Practice Solutions. Because running your healthcare practice is no longer “business as usual.”