Is your patient information secure from wondering eyes?  Does your team NOT discuss your patient’s problems with others?  Do you have sufficient documentation at the start of treatment to comply with HIPAA regulations?  If not, maybe this pearl may help.

In order to be compliant with HIPAA and avoid legal and punitive repercussions from disgruntled patients and team members you need to employ the following forms in your practice:

Notice of Practice Policies on Patient Privacy (hand-out given to patient to review at their leisure)

Acknowledgement of Receipt of Notice of Practice Policies on Patient Privacy form (to prove you gave them the notification)… (printed on your letterhead)

Patient’s Level of Privacy Consent form (This orthodontic-related part states specifically what they do and do not consent to in their treatment and is completed by the TC…print on your letterhead)

Staff HIPAA Training Signature Form (to make sure that each team member is educated to comply with HIPAA…print on your letterhead)

HIPAA Patient Complaint form (in case there is an unfortunate incident)

HIPAA Associate Privacy form (for non-partner associates…if you have any…to complete)

HIPAA - Privacy LABELS for paper Tx Chart (if used, or can be put electronically into the patient’s electronic Tx Chart)

Disclaimer: these forms are to help you comply with the complicated HIPAA regulations; they have no legal meaning except that you tried.  Your practice and teams attitude about keeping patient information private is the key to success.

Refer to the attached PDFs for these forms.