Hi.
Yes, we are part of a Rehabilitation agency, as is Handi-Hams. Yes, we do
have materials in accessible formats, and generally paperwork is completed
at our facility on the day that services commence. My point is
this. Whether or not I am doing anything that involves medical information
myself, any records that I keep, whether they specifically mention an eye
condition or not, are considered to be part of the client's protected
health information. Just the fact that they were there is protected
information, which I cannot disclose, and which they have a right to have
protected.
To get away from this requirement, one would have to have an organization
which either does not collect medical information, or which does not
transmit it electronically, because if you keep all information on paper
and are not billing insurance companies or transmitting information to drug
stores, etc., then HIPAA as it is presently written does not apply to you.
73, de Lou K2LKK
At 02:23 PM 1/16/2005 -0700, you wrote:
>Hi Lou,
>
>Are you performing this assistive technology training as part of a
>vocational rehabilitation agency or with an agency so contracted to provide
>the services? If so, then, yes, this HIPAA stuff makes sense, I guess... I
>mean, wow! JAWS training is not medical.
>
>Are you able to make this process accessible to the blind client? Do you
>read to them the document they will be signing? Do you allow them to FAX
>that copy to your office?
>
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Louis Kim Kline" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Sunday, January 16, 2005 2:12 PM
>Subject: Re: Revisiting accessible amateur radio study materials.
>
>
> > Hi Darrell.
> >
> > If they collect information about your disability and store it with the
> > medical records that they keep on their other clients, they would in all
> > likelihood consider the data on your disability as protected health
> > information. Rather than try to sort out whose information should be
> > protected, and whose should not, most organizations that collect
> > information of this information do the HIPAA documentation for everyone
> > that they serve, because there are very substantial penalties for failing
> > to do so, and nobody in a agency that uses protected health information is
> > going to chance that. It is the same thing in the place where I work. If
> > I train someone on the use of JAWS, whether I see an eye report or not, I
> > must give them our notice of privacy practices, and I must ask them to
> > sign
> > a document verifying that they received the information. Otherwise, I am
> > in non-compliance and can be severely fined, and would in all likelihood
> > be
> > fired.
> >
> > The problem is that health care organizations have abused information that
> > should have been kept confidential in the past, prompting Congress to
> > write
> > legislation to more closely regulate the health care industry, and like so
> > many things, when the government feels that they must regulate, they often
> > resort to very stringent measures to do so. Don't blame Handi-Hams--they
> > are only following the law.
> >
> > 73, de Lou K2LKK
> >
> > At 10:24 PM 1/15/2005 -0700, you wrote:
> >>Hi Lou,
> >>
> >>Yeah. Aware of HIPAA. But, if I join Handiham, I am not a patient of a
> >>healthcare facility. I really don't quite see how HIPAA requirements
> >>would
> >>apply, and, besides, this doesn't directly relate to the requirements for
> >>verifying disability.
> >>
> >>----- Original Message -----
> >>From: "Louis Kim Kline" <[log in to unmask]>
> >>To: <[log in to unmask]>
> >>Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2005 9:50 PM
> >>Subject: Re: Revisiting accessible amateur radio study materials.
> >>
> >>
> >> > HIPAA (Health Information Portability and Accountability Act) to be
> >> > specific. They collect protected health information for at least part
> >> > of
> >> > the services they provide, so they are bound by these laws, as is my
> >> > employer.
> >> > --Lou K2LKK
> >> >
> >> > At 08:56 PM 1/15/2005 -0600, you wrote:
> >> >>Remember that Handi-Hams is a part of a rehabilitation center so they
> >> >>must
> >> >>comply with federal law in how they handle certain aspects of how they
> >> >>handle
> >> >>clients. I believe that their signup process is largely if not
> >> >>completely
> >> >>dictated by federal requirements.
> >> >>
> >> >>Tom
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>Tom Brennan KD5VIJ, CCC-A/SLP
> >> >>web page http://titan.sfasu.edu/~g_brennantg/sonicpage.html
> >> >
> >> > Louis Kim Kline
> >> > A.R.S. K2LKK
> >> > Home e-mail: [log in to unmask]
> >> > Work e-mail: [log in to unmask]
> >> > Work Telephone: (585) 697-5753
> >
> > Louis Kim Kline
> > A.R.S. K2LKK
> > Home e-mail: [log in to unmask]
> > Work e-mail: [log in to unmask]
> > Work Telephone: (585) 697-5753
Louis Kim Kline
A.R.S. K2LKK
Home e-mail: [log in to unmask]
Work e-mail: [log in to unmask]
Work Telephone: (585) 697-5753
|
