HIPAA Certification
How to Get HIPAA Certified: What It Really Means
I get this question at least twice a week: "How do I get HIPPA certified?" First, let's clear something up — it&
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HIPAA Compliance
HIPAA regulations, compliance requirements, and violation prevention
HIPAA Violation Reporting
How to Report a HIPAA Violation: A Step-by-Step Guide
Last year, a patient in Tennessee discovered that a hospital employee had been snooping through her medical records for months — not for treatment, not for
Key Components of HIPAA
Key Components of HIPAA: What Actually Matters in 2026
A few years ago, I walked into a mid-size cardiology practice that had just been hit with a $160,000 settlement from OCR. The compliance
Information Release Form
What Is an Information Release Form Under HIPAA?
A patient walks up to your front desk and asks you to fax her medical records to a personal injury attorney. Your staff member grabs
HITECH
HITECH Act: What It Actually Means for HIPAA in 2026
A $4.3 Million Wake-Up Call That Changed Everything In 2009, the federal government decided HIPAA wasn't working. Too many breaches. Too little
HIPAA Privacy Rule
What Is the Privacy Rule Responsible for Protecting?
A hospital receptionist in Texas accidentally faxed 277 patient records to a local newspaper instead of the pharmacy down the street. That single misdial triggered
HIPAA Violation Penalties
HIPPA Violation Penalties: What They Actually Cost
A 78-bed hospital in rural Oklahoma lost $4.3 million in a single afternoon. Not from a malpractice suit. Not from a billing error. From
HIPAA Minimum Necessary Rule
HIPAA Minimum Necessary Rule: What You're Getting Wrong
A Receptionist, a Fax Machine, and a $4.3 Million Problem In 2014, New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University paid a combined $4.8 million
Types of Protected Health Information
Types of Protected Health Information: A Field Guide
A therapist in Oregon left a voicemail for a patient's emergency contact. She mentioned the patient's diagnosis, medication, and next appointment
PHI
PHI Stands For: What It Means and Why It Matters
A Single Fax Changed Everything for This Clinic A dermatology practice in New England lost $150,000 in a settlement with the Office for Civil
Telemedicine and HIPAA
Telemedicine and HIPAA Compliance: What You Must Know
A Psychiatrist's Laptop Changed Everything In 2020, a psychiatrist in New England started seeing patients over Zoom. No Business Associate Agreement. No encryption
PHI
Is a Medical Record Number PHI? Yes — Here's Why
A front desk staffer at a mid-size orthopedic practice once told me, "It's just a number — it's not like I