Running a successful dental practice isn’t easy. You need to attract and keep patients, build a great team, and stay updated on the latest trends. On top of that, you also have to make sure your dental office follows HIPAA and OSHA rules.
Training your staff on HIPAA and OSHA is a key part of staying compliant. Wouldn’t it be great to have one simple solution to manage both? Here are five important tips to help you with your compliance training program.
- Make sure all employees get training every year.
- Provide training that fits each employee’s role.
- Keep records to show that HIPAA and OSHA training was completed.
- Learn what can happen if you don’t follow OSHA rules.
- Be aware of the most common HIPAA and OSHA mistakes. 1
1. Make sure all employees get training every year.
Training your employees every year is very important to meet HIPAA and OSHA requirements in your dental office. OSHA says new employees must get safety training within the first 10 days of starting their job, while HIPAA requires training within a reasonable time.
Annual training is needed because rules can change, and your team needs to learn about any updates. Your office might also add new equipment or change how things are done, and employees need to know how to handle these changes. Regular training also helps remind everyone of the best practices to stay safe and follow the rules.
2. Provide training that fits each employee’s role.
Every employee in a dental office, whether full-time or part-time, needs proper training to follow OSHA and HIPAA rules. This includes everyone, from dentists and dental assistants to office staff and custodians. No one is left out.
HIPAA training is necessary for any employee who handles patient information, also called Protected Health Information (PHI). Both OSHA and HIPAA have important topics that must be included in the training. For HIPAA, employees need to learn how to protect patient information, prevent and report data breaches, and understand security rules. For OSHA, training covers staying safe from hazards like bloodborne pathogens, preventing accidents like slips or falls, and knowing how to handle emergencies. This training ensures that everyone understands how to stay safe, follow the rules, and protect patient trust.
3. Keep records to show that HIPAA and OSHA training was completed.
Both HIPAA and OSHA instruct you to keep records of employee training. HIPAA does not give specific rules on how to document training, but OSHA does. For OSHA, you need to record details like the date of the training, what was taught, the names and qualifications of the trainers, and the names and job titles of everyone who attended. Keeping these records is important to show that your dental office is following the rules.
4. Learn what can happen if you don’t follow OSHA rules.
Training is a key part of staying compliant with HIPAA and OSHA rules, but it’s not the only requirement. However, it should be a strong foundation in your compliance plan.
If even one employee misses the required OSHA training, your practice can face penalties. OSHA fines can range from nothing to as much as $70,000 for each violation, depending on how serious the issue is. Similarly, breaking HIPAA rules can lead to fines of up to $1.5 million, depending on which part of the law was violated.
5. Be aware of the most common HIPAA and OSHA mistakes.
OSHA citations can happen in many industries, but dental offices face some common ones. These include not having or keeping an exposure control plan, not providing proper training or keeping training records, not supplying the right Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), not providing Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), and not creating or following a Hazard Communication Plan.
For HIPAA, the most common problems include not doing a full risk analysis, not managing security risks properly, not giving patients access to their health records quickly, not making agreements with vendors to protect patient information, and not securing electronic patient data on portable devices.
Staying compliant with HIPAA and OSHA can be overwhelming because there’s so much to manage. That’s why LNC Data LLC can help you train your employees and simplify compliance. Train, track, and manage your compliance requirements with ease, giving your practice peace of mind. Let us handle the hard part so you can focus on your patients.