Newport Beach, CA. June 14, 2011 – ecfirst, the gold standard for HIPAA training, certification and consulting, announced the release of a new online multimedia HIPAA compliance training course,HIPAA for Business Associates (BAs). Responding to expanded HIPAA Privacy Rule and Security Rule requirements for vendors, ecfirst now offers an online course designed to assist healthcare vendors in providing experience-based training.
Historically, vendors were not directly accountable for HIPAA compliance, as HIPAA did not directly regulate the actions of organizations that provide products and services to healthcare facilities. The HITECH portion of the Patient Protection and Accountable Care Act (PPACA) has now made vendors directly accountable for HIPAA compliance with the use and disclosure requirements in the Privacy Rule and all of the Security Rule.
HIPAA Privacy and Security rules are complex and it is imperative that BA’s train their staff to safeguard against misuse and accidental disclosure of PHI. A lapse in compliance training can bring government intervention, large fines and unwanted media attention to the vendor and to the covered entities with which they work. Many provider organizations already require business associates to prove that they have conducted appropriate HIPAA training.
Upon completion of this new, ecfirst training course. a statement of training completion can be provided to covered entities.
Business associates have been defined by HHS, as a person or entity that performs certain functions or activities involving the use or disclosure of protected health information (PHI), on behalf of, or while providing services to, a covered entity, such as a hospital, health plan, clearinghouse or other healthcare provider. Business associate services include legal, actuarial, accounting, consulting, data aggregation, management, administrative, accreditation, and financial.
The ecfirst online compliance training courses are designed to help healthcare institutions (including business associates) provide recurring updated training in an effort to change staff behavior and maintain compliance with changing regulations. , ecfirst addresses these issues and many others in customizable, easy to understand online courses that are updated annually, and as regulations change.
For more information and a demonstration of this new course, go to HIPAA for Business Associates.
About ecfirst
ecfirst delivers world-class information security and regulatory compliance solutions. With over 1,600+ clients, ecfirst was recognized as an Inc. 500 business – America’s Top 500 Fastest Growing Privately Held Business in 2004 – our first year of eligibility. ecfirst serves a Who's Who client list that includes technology firms, numerous hospitals, state and county governments, and hundreds of businesses across the United States and abroad. A partial list of clients includes Microsoft, Symantec, HP, McKesson, EMC, IBM, Principal Financial, U.S. Army, U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security, U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs and many others.
For more information on ecfirst, please visit: www.ecfirst.com |
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