HIPAA Survey.
Compliance and PlanningDuring two weeks in late September/early October 2000, more than 450 representatives of healthcare organizations, including providers, payors, clearinghouses, vendors and others, participated in the largest nationwide survey on HIPAA compliance. The online survey was the third in a series of quarterly HIPAA surveys conducted by Phoenix Health Systems through its HIPAAdvisory.com website and HIPAAlert newsletter.
[GRAPH OMITTED]
A sampling of responses:
* HIPAA Awareness. One respondent commented, "It's tough to deal with HIPAA when only you and your boss understand it, and everyone else gives you the `doe in the headlights look' when you mention it."
* Focus of HIPAA Efforts. One provider stated its cautious stance succinctly: "We have a formal HIPAA steering committee with four subcommittees. We are working on transaction sets security risk assessment. At this point, we are educating, preparing, but not making any changes until finalized rules are in place."
* HIPAA Compliance and Strategic Planning. Many healthcare organizations have decided to turn HIPAA compliance to their benefit. More than half (including 52 percent of providers and 59 percent of payors) intend to incorporate compliance into their strategic plans. Only 28 percent of hospitals intend to ensure only basic HIPAA compliance. About 25 percent of hospitals reporting have no formal plans for HIPAA implementation.
* Reliance on Outside Resources, According to one HIPAA project manager, "The hardest part of HIPAA is trying to figure out how to proceed with an assessment/risk analysis. Organizing it and understanding what to look for is a monumental task."
* Budgets. Of 183 hospital survey participants, only 99 (54 percent) disclosed their HIPAA budgets for 2001; in many cases, budgets were either unknown or had not been determined. Regarding where dollars and efforts will actually be spent, one provider comment seemed to reflect an opinion of many: "Coordination of transactions and code sets implementations will be a bear! But, privacy is bigger and will cost a whole lot more--not only its implementation, but also the ongoing processes that will follow."
* Industry-wide Cooperation, The majority of survey respondents think the industry should work together as a "coordinated task force" to achieve industry-wide compliance. However, providers appeared more skeptical, with only 35 percent favoring industry coordination. On the other hand, payors were especially enthusiastic about the industry's working together, with 80 percent of them favoring this approach.
Fall survey results, including graphics, are available at: www.hipaadvisory.com/action/surveyfall2000.htm
 Printer friendly
 Cite/link
 Email
 Feedback
| |
| Title Annotation: | Industry Trend or Event |
|---|---|
| Publication: | Health Management Technology |
| Date: | Jan 1, 2001 |
| Words: | 401 |
| Previous Article: | From Here to Community. |
| Next Article: | Briefly. |
| Topics: | |