Abyde software guides practices through mandatory HIPAA compliance requirements, making compliance programs easy and sustainable for dental practices of any size.

Following recent settlements against providers who violated HIPAA Privacy Rule, CDA encourages its members to utilize an array of tools and resources to achieve compliance

Surveillance cameras in dental offices are becoming more and more common. The driving force behind them is typically security, as cameras can aid in loss control, deter theft and discourage other criminal activity. But cameras are not without their drawbacks. Prior to hitting the record button, practice owners should be aware of the laws and regulations surrounding their use. While laws vary from state to state, there are some basic guidelines.

A private dental practice in Dallas, Texas, has agreed to pay $10,000 to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights to settle potential violations of the HIPAA privacy rule. The HHS reported that the OCR completed its investigation of a complaint by a patient who alleged that the practice disclosed on social media the patient’s last name and the details of the patient’s health condition.

Every quarter, CDA publishes a Practice Health Check focusing on a different topic related to the business side of dentistry. HIPAA compliance, specifically patients’ access to their records, is the focus in the second quarter of 2023. CDA members are invited to take the Q2 Practice Health Check consisting of just three questions.

A dentist in Maryland is among the latest group of providers to pay either a settlement fee or a civil monetary penalty and agree to take corrective actions for potential violations of the HIPAA Privacy Rule. 

All health care providers, including dentists, will soon be required to comply with a new federal regulation that aims to enhance a patient’s right to access their health information. Under the new rule, patients will have greater and, at times, immediate access to health information.

CDA Practice Support recently received a call from a dentist about a disgruntled patient who was accusing the dentist of violating the patient’s HIPAA privacy rights because of a past-due bill.

Specifically, the patient claimed that they received a letter from a collection agency and the fact that the collection agency had their information was a violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). CDA confirmed that this is not a violation of HIPAA as long as the dentist took the proper steps to inform patients how the practice uses patient information and to provide to the collection agency only the minimum necessary information for the agency to perform its work.

Obtaining proper, legal consent for nonverbal adults is of paramount importance in the dental practice. By becoming familiar with local laws, employing effective communication strategies, involving caregivers and advocate, and maintaining documentation, dentists can provide ethical care for a vulnerable population. 

The California Consumer Privacy Act, which took effect Jan. 1, aims to give California consumers greater control over their personal information by imposing certain obligations on entities covered by the law. Although health care providers such as dental practices are exempt from this new law, it is important to understand that some of the law’s provisions are similar to those required by HIPAA and the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act.

A medical center in St. Petersburg, Florida, is the first to face enforcement action by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for failing to promptly provide a patient with medical records. The HHS Office for Civil Rights announced early this year that it would vigorously enforce its Right of Access Initiative that allows patients to receive copies of their medical records promptly and without being overcharged.

The recording of conversations between dentists and patients can pose significant risks to dental professionals, including potential HIPAA violations, loss of control over the use of the recording and legal issues related to consent. Dentists should take steps to protect patient privacy.

Any dental practice that is uncertain if is fully compliant with HIPAA and state privacy laws will benefit from four new HIPAA training resources available in the CDA Practice Support section of cda.org. Each resource is intended to train both the privacy officer and the security officer in a dental practice on their shared responsibilities.

HIPAA does not prohibit the use of virtual assistants, including those who work outside of the U.S. However, as HIPAA-covered entities, dentists and the businesss associates they contract with are responsible for ensuring assistants are trained to safeguard patient information.

Enforcement actions against providers by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights to uphold patient rights to access their health information are increasingly common. CDA members benefit from an array of resources to support compliance efforts.