In a nutshell, HIPAA certification helps medical professionals understand what quality medical care looks like, how to perform certain services, and ensure that their services align with US law. HIPAA Certification is a legal requirement for many US-based medical service providers. The acronym “HIPAA” is used in place of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act passed by US legislators in 1996.
What is HIPAA Certification?
When searching for a medical service provider of any type, one of the first things for you to check is whether or not they are HIPAA certified. Right off the bat, this helps you to know whether or not this is an official healthcare service that is endorsed by the US government. It also gives you a sense of security that you as the patient will receive the highest-quality medical care possible.
5 Reasons HIPPA Certification is Necessary
1. Keeps Medical Service Providers Compliant with the Law
Just as you would only receive legal services from a lawyer that is both fluent and knowledgeable of the US legal system, you should also only receive medical services from a service provider that is officially endorsed by the US healthcare system. Otherwise, you could easily end up doing business with a company who doesn’t solve your issue or handles the service irresponsibly.
2. Ensures You Are Covered Through Insurance
Imagine that you are in the process of finding a new job. If you had health insurance that was provided by your old employer, your period of unemployment might leave you without the ability to receive medical care without HIPAA.
Part of this legislation is intended to help people in circumstances like these, ensuring they will still receive medical care from their employer-provided insurance even if they are currently in the process of switching away from it. Otherwise, a medical emergency could be very dangerous during brief periods of unemployment.
3. Protects the Privacy of Patients
The privacy of patients is sensitive and of utmost importance for many reasons. Imagine for a second that your medical records were available in the public domain. Access to the records of your doctor visits and other information could potentially be used against you. For instance, if your employer has advanced knowledge of a certain condition, they might find a replacement for you. Scenarios like these, among countless other possibilities, are why patient privacy is crucial.
4. Makes it Easier to Report Violations without Fear
With HIPAA, medical professionals are able to report violations without fearing their personal safety. If there wasn’t an anonymous reporting system in place like this, small and minuscule violation reports could easily turn into a risk of harm, personal threats, and so on. The ability to report violations helps further protect the patients served by a medical care provider.
5. Puts Patient Safety First & Improves Medical Care
As a patient, you deserve to receive the best quality care that is possible. Without the proper structure and framework for how this is done, there is a lot of room for confusion left behind. With HIPAA, we have a clear-cut system for what high-quality medical care looks like. With high-quality medical care and a system that values patient privacy, you are better protected than you would be otherwise. HIPAA makes your personal safety and the quality of your medical care primary goals.
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