One of the biggest sources of anxiety for a chiropractic practice is HIPPAA compliance. Because of that, Platinum has partnered with HIPAAMATE, a software company that is affordable and easy to use. If you've tried to keep up with all the documentation required to remain HIPAA compliant yourself, you know how many agonizing hours can be put into something that you're still not 100% sure is correct. HIPPAMATE does nearly all of the work for you, guiding you each step of the way.
Ever since 2013, when the OMNIBUS rule went into effect, remaining HIPAA compliant has been more complicated and time-consuming than ever. It can also be costly.
HIPAA — the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act — was enacted by Congress in 1996. The Privacy Rule was adopted in 2003, followed by the Security Rule in 2005. The main purpose of the Privacy Rule is to protect patient information while keeping medical information flowing between providers.
According to the CDC, chiropractors must do the following to meet the Security Rule standards:
As technology has advanced, the laws surrounding patient privacy have as well. HIPAA laws address cell phones and laptops, as well as things like electronic billing.
There is a lot of fear and anxiety surrounding HIPAA compliance, in part because the fines for failing to be compliant are high. According to Dr. Jeff Brown, founder of HIPAAMATE, HIPPA is difficult for three reasons:
Those three things inspired Dr. Jeff to create a software system that knows exactly what to do and when to do it.
To watch the full interview with Dr. Jeff, click here.
“The beauty of software is that a consultant can only be on the phone with one person at a time, or working on one case at a time,” said Dr. Jeff. “Software can service hundreds or even thousands of people at the same second.”
And it’s affordable. For a small practice, the cost is less than $400 for the entire year. Dr. Jeff’s goal is to make being HIPAA compliant simple, fast, and affordable.
Every bit of paperwork needed for HIPAA compliance is included in HIPAAMATE. It keeps not only your practice in compliance, but each staff member as well. Most documents and policies only need to be updated annually, and HIPAAMATE’s dashboard shows you if you’re up-to-date, behind, or if there is an upcoming deadline. The system will also email you that information, so you don’t have to worry about logging in and checking the dashboard.
“You already have so many tasks to do,” Dr. Jeff explained. “Let the software do the thinking for you.”
Documentation is king. It’s critical to have documentation in place that shows you did the things you were supposed to do.
This is especially true if you’re being audited. The first thing auditors will ask for is your risk analysis. With HIPAAMATE, you can conduct a comprehensive risk analysis in minutes. In most cases where chiropractors are fined, it’s because they either didn’t run a risk analysis report, or they didn’t follow through on suggested changes.
It can be scary, and it’s why having software is so critically important. If, for example, you’re measuring the risk of someone eavesdropping on patient information, the HIPAAMATE suggests ways you can reduce that risk. You can then check off whether you have made the change, implement it in your practice, and reduce your risk.
Contrary to what many people believe, just because your EHR says it is “HIPAA-compliant,” does not mean that you are HIPAA-compliant. You have to ensure that each staff member is trained, everything is recorded, and your risk analysis is complete. HIPAAMATE makes it simple — the menu on the left is designed to be filled out from top to bottom. Dr. Jeff has included notes at the top of the various screens that include tips and explanations, as well as support videos designed to answer the most frequently asked questions.
Each section includes virtual paperwork that can be checked off, personalized, edited and signed.
Click here to watch the full webinar with Dr. Jeff Brown. If you're ready to use HIPAAMATE for your practice, simply find Monty the Koala in your Platinum EHR! Or, click here.