HIPAA PRIVACY OFFICER

Job Description

Job Description

Overview

HIPAA Privacy Officer and Patient Civil Rights Coordinator is responsible for the development and daily operations of the HIPAA Privacy and Patient Civil Rights programs for Confluence Health and its affiliates. This includes development, implementation, and maintenance of policies and procedures as well as education, investigation, monitoring, and auditing responsibilities.

Position Reports To:  Compliance Officer

Responsibilities

1. Builds and manages a strategic and comprehensive privacy program that defines, develops, maintains and implements policies and procedures for effective privacy practices that ensure the confidentiality of protected health information (PHI).

2. Performs HIPAA Privacy and Civil Rights compliance investigations, responds to patient grievances related to HIPAA or Civil Rights, and ensures mitigation and resolution where necessary. Collaborates with Human Resources, Managers, and SL Directors to ensure consistent application of sanctions.

3. Ensures privacy and confidentiality consent and authorization forms, information notices and educational materials are consistently and appropriately used. Partners with training and/or department management to assist and ensure educational efforts are adequate. Ensures Privacy and Civil Rights facility signage, forms, policies, standards, and procedures are up to date.

4. Monitors patterns of inappropriate access and/or disclosure of protected health information. Reviews and approves internal and external requests for EHR access.

5. Provides or ensures delivery of HIPAA Privacy and Civil Rights training and orientation to all employees, volunteers, medical and professional staff and applicable business associates.

6. Works cooperatively with Health Information Management (HIM) leadership in overseeing patient rights to inspect, amend, and restrict access to protected health information when appropriate.

7. Manages all required breach determinations, tracking, and notification processes under Federal and state breach rules and requirements.

8. Develops and maintains the organization's language access plan.

9. Collaborates with the HIPAA Security Officer to ensure alignment between Security and Privacy compliance programs including policies, practices, investigations, and acts as a liaison to the IT department for the HIPAA Privacy program.

10. Establishes, with the HIPAA Security Officer, an ongoing process to track, investigate and report inappropriate access and disclosure of protected health information.

11. Cooperates with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's Office for Civil Rights, state regulators, accrediting bodies, and/or other external entities in any compliance reviews, investigations, or surveys.

12. Maintains current knowledge of applicable Federal and state Privacy and Patient Civil Rights laws, regulations, and accreditation standards.

13. Communicates effectively with patients, family, staff, and management with empathy and kindness to ensure concerns, expectations, and questions are addressed.

14. Performs other duties as assigned.

Demonstrate Standards of Behavior and adhere to the Code of Conduct in all aspects of jobperformance at all times.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's Degree and/or a nationally recognized privacy certification (e.g. CHPc CHPS, CIPP).

• Three years of related experience in HIPAA Privacy and/or regulatory compliance.
• A high level of integrity and trust.
• Extensive knowledge and experience in State and Federal information, Privacy laws and patient Civil Rights laws.
• Ability to communicate effectively in written and verbal form.

Desired:

• Strong organizational skills.
• Demonstrated skills in collaboration, teamwork, and problem-solving to achieve goals.
• Extensive familiarity with health care relevant legislation and standards for the protection of health information and patient privacy.
• Effective presentation skills.
• Capable of independent work ethic with minimal supervision.