Required HIPAA course materials available on-line for physicians

Security training modules are now available for all medical staff members who wish electronic access to SHC patient information or who wish to communicate patient information electronically to SHC.

The federally-mandated training program is available from either the Hospital's Intranet site https://shcintranet.stanfordmed.org/ under Education and Training) or the School of Medicine's IRT Privacy Site http://irt.stanford.edu/privacy/hipaa/.

The course is intended to meet HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) security requirements that become effective April 21, 2005. These requirements supplement earlier HIPAA privacy requirements.

The training modules were to be available starting Dec. 10 in three or four segments of seven to 10 minutes each. A passing score on the lesson one pretest will enable physicians to opt out of the lesson, and interim tests included with the module will enable physicians to opt out of future lessons as they proceed.

Joseph Hopkins, associate chief of staff, said the brief course is required for both faculty and community members of the medical staff who wish electronic access.