Ageless Aesthetics HIPAA Compliance Policy
Purpose
Ageless Aesthetics is committed to safeguarding the privacy and security of patient information in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996. This policy outlines how Ageless Aesthetics protects and manages Protected Health Information (PHI) to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Scope
This policy applies to all employees, contractors, and associates of Ageless Aesthetics who have access to, process, or handle PHI. It encompasses all forms of PHI, including electronic, paper, and verbal communication.
1. Safeguarding Patient Information
- Access Control: Access to PHI is restricted to authorized personnel who require it to perform their job duties.
- Data Encryption: All electronic PHI (ePHI) is encrypted during storage and transmission to protect against unauthorized access.
- Secure Storage: Paper records are stored in locked, access-controlled areas, and electronic records are stored in HIPAA-compliant systems with audit trails.
2. Use and Disclosure of PHI
Ageless Aesthetics ensures that PHI is used or disclosed only as permitted under HIPAA:
- Treatment: PHI may be shared with authorized providers for continuity of care.
- Payment: PHI may be disclosed for billing and payment purposes.
- Operations: PHI may be used for practice management and quality improvement, as allowed under HIPAA.
Patients’ written authorization is obtained for any disclosures outside of these permitted uses.
3. Patient Rights
Ageless Aesthetics respects and supports the rights of patients under HIPAA:
- Access to Records: Patients may request access to their medical records within 30 days of the request.
- Amendments: Patients can request corrections to their records if they believe information is inaccurate or incomplete.
- Privacy Restrictions: Patients may request restrictions on certain uses or disclosures of their PHI.
- Accounting of Disclosures: Patients may request a record of how their PHI has been shared.
4. Employee Training
All employees are trained on HIPAA requirements and the importance of protecting PHI. Training is conducted:
- Upon hiring
- Annually as a refresher
- When policies or regulations change
Employees are required to sign confidentiality agreements and are held accountable for non-compliance.
5. Breach Notification
In the event of a data breach involving PHI:
- Affected individuals will be notified within 60 days, as required by the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule.
- Ageless Aesthetics will investigate the breach, mitigate risks, and take corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
- The breach will be reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as required.
6. Business Associate Agreements (BAAs)
Ageless Aesthetics ensures that all third-party vendors who handle PHI sign a BAA that obligates them to comply with HIPAA regulations.
7. Disposal of PHI
PHI is disposed of securely:
- Electronic records are permanently deleted using HIPAA-compliant data destruction methods.
- Paper records are shredded or incinerated to ensure confidentiality.
8. Complaints
Patients may file complaints about privacy practices without fear of retaliation. Complaints can be directed to the Ageless Aesthetics Privacy Officer or filed with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
9. Policy Review
This policy is reviewed and updated annually or as needed to remain compliant with changes in HIPAA regulations.
Contact Information
For questions about this policy or to report a privacy concern, please contact:
Privacy Officer-Shelley Clayton
Ageless Aesthetics
317-855-9100
shelley@agelessindy.com
Ageless Aesthetics exclusively serves clients within the state of Indiana.
