2015 AAO Annual Session - How to Stay HIPAA Compliant in Today's Orthodontic Office

More and more the orthodontic office is communicating with patients by using texts and emails. From letters, treatment description, and status of treatment to appointment reminders, in today’s society the protection of personal information is essential. All of our patients have what is referred to as protected health information (PHI), and it is our responsibility not to disseminate such information. In some cases, breaching PHI would result in a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) violation, and the office could be significantly fined. Not every email is safe or HIPAA compliant, and both senders and recipients may play a role in this security. This presentation will discuss in detail what PHI is, who could be fined, how to protect it, and step-by-step instructions on how to use email while protecting the electronic sending of a patient’s records and PHI.