Assigning responsibility to a Privacy Officer or Official

The Privacy Rule requires every covered entity to assign a privacy officer or official to assume responsibility for implementing HIPAA. The regulations do not require a healthcare provider to hire an individual to perform only this task. In a small dental practice the dentist, dental hygienist or office manager might be the privacy officer. If the practice is large enough there may be the need to form a HIPAA Steering Committee to assist the privacy officer with the responsibility. Success requires a team effort.

It is imperative to get management commitment for HIPAA implementation. If the HIPAA coordinator is providing training and no one is enforcing or endorsing what is being done it will not be very successful. Successful privacy implementation requires the right culture that begins with top management. Even in a small practice this is important. If the dentist in a one-dentist practice does not believe in the training program, it is just as detrimental as if there were numerous dentists. It is very important for dental professionals and the office staff to tell patients that the practice supports the protection of private information rather than giving the impression that this is just another government bureaucratic effort that is causing more paperwork.

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