Welcome back to The Claim Game! In this round of mastering Revenue Cycle Management, we’re taking a magnifying glass to the crucial territory of Patient Registration and zooming in on the seemingly “riveting” world of HIPAA Compliance. We know that when practice owners hear “HIPAA,” their first instinct might be to “run for the hills”, but understanding this federal law is absolutely vital for your practice’s bottom line and your peace of mind.
Kathryn and Jeremy break down the three core rules—Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification —and why patient registration is ground zero for proper handling of Protected Health Information (PHI). We also dive into a candid discussion about the risks of offshoring patient data, noting that HIPAA is an American law and the lack of data safety guarantees and potential legal complications overseas should be a huge consideration when choosing a vendor.
This episode is packed with specific, actionable protocols, including the non-negotiable need for staff training, the importance of two-factor authentication (especially after the Change Healthcare breach) , secure digital storage (no downloads to your desktop!), and the process for handling everything from physical records to a breach notification. We end the episode with a real-world case study card that shows the costly pitfalls of discussing PHI in public spaces, like a waiting room.
It’s time to turn those claim denials into deposits and ensure your practice is not only compliant but confident.
