If you are in the healthcare arena; can you afford a $50,000 a day per violation fine?
I remember reading many years ago that farmers were the biggest gamblers as every year as they chance that their crops will be healthy but not too healthy so that they receive a fair price for their products. In today’s day and age, I think that Healthcare Professionals in the United States are the biggest gamblers as we spent many years studying before we hit the field and yet your next patient could be your last. Even worse, the compliance requirements in the field are impossible to meet and depending on the situation the mandatory fines can break anyone’s back.
I know that based on the situation a strategy used by many is that of the Ostrich which hides its head in a hole. Yet this strategy is useless as the fines continue to be mandatory and depending on the situation could only get worse. I, on the other hand, consider that rather than waiting for something to happen, hide, or even complain to deaf ears, prefer to take action and do something about this situation.
So instead of ignoring the rules, I map the requirements and create a system to guide us thru the required actions. Also, as my biggest investment and liability is people, I designed training programs within our system to ensure our staff is at least aware of the requirements imposed upon us. In addition to that, and thanks to my military background, I create checklists that helps us document our actions and ensures we follow the systems already created.
Of course, I realize that no one is perfect, yet I always play to win, so the next step was to organize the information available into courses and levels so that the person I delegated the responsibilities had a basic preparation to complete the required tasks. Next, based on the emphasis given to our subcontractors, I went ahead and created a system to verify that they indeed are reliable, responsible subcontractors and that just like me they are taking care of their required tasks.
The reality of life is that I do not expect to see many of my peers going thru all the steps that I have taken, yet, I don’t see any reason why we cannot all benefit from my efforts. Even more important, I do not claim that I may not get hit at some point in time with a fine, but I can guarantee you that I’m stacking the odds in my favor and that I will do everything in my power to make sure I do not fit the profile of a big gambler.
So, as it relates to you I’ll give you two options:
1. Take the time to learn the rules, create your own systems and train yourself and your team, or
2. Take the time to check our “babies”
– Certified HIPAA Security Officer
– Certified HIPAA Security Business
Just remember, you need to know the rules if you are going to play the game.