TITLE:

HIPAA TRAINING FOR COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER EMPLOYEES

POLICY:
All employees and affiliates of Columbia University Medical Center will be trained on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

PURPOSE :
HIPAA mandates that Columbia University Medical Center conduct training for all its employees and affiliates who access, use, manage, control, disclose, and/or release patient Protected Health Information (PHI). The purpose of this Policy is to describe each of the HIPAA classes offered by Columbia University Medical Center and each class's intended audience.

PROCEDURES:

1. Mandatory HIPAA training. Training on HIPAA is mandatory. Every physician, researcher, dentist, nurse, and employee who accesses, uses, manages, controls, discloses, and/or releases Columbia University Medical Center patient PHI must attend the appropriate HIPAA training.



2. HIPAA training classes. Which HIPAA training is appropriate for a particular individual is dependent upon the requirements of that individual's job at Columbia University Medical Center.
1. An individual who is required to renew his/her privileges and appointment at New York Presbyterian Hospital on a bi-annual basis must complete a web-based HIPAA training course.
1. To take the web-based HIPAA training course, log on to http://hipaa.hs.columbia.edu and follow the instructions.



2. The web-based HIPAA training course is approximately 40 minutes in length, and may be taken from a work- or home-based computer.


2. An individual who conducts research at Columbia University Medical Center must complete a research-specific HIPAA training course.
1. An individual who conducts research at Columbia University Medical Center and who treats patients (patient care not associated with a research protocol) must complete both the research-specific and the web-based HIPAA training courses.



2. To take the research-specific HIPAA training course, log on to http://www.rascal.columbia.edu then login to the Testing Center (under "Compliance") and select training module TC0019 (HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Training Course).


3. All other individuals must attend the live HIPAA Support Staff Training class.
1. The HIPAA Support Staff Training class is conducted on a monthly basis in the Neurological Institute (corner of 168th Street and Ft. Washington).



2. To obtain a class schedule:
1. log onto the Columbia University Medical Center home page;



2. click on "Administrative Services" or "Patient Care;"



3. click on the link to HIPAA on the right side of the page.


3. Questions. Questions about which HIPAA training class to attend or complete should be directed to the employee's supervisor or the HIPAA Privacy Officer.



4. Definitions..
Protected Health Information is information about a patient, including demographic information that may identify a patient, that relates to the patient's past, present or future physical or mental health or condition, related health care services or payment for health care services.

RESPONSIBILITY:         HIPAA Privacy Officer, Departments