Health Information Compliance Alert
2 Response Letters Keep Patients Posted On Complaints
PDF
Put your actions in writing and protect against further criticism. Sample Response Letter 1 - Generic Response This is an example of a generic letter that could be used to acknowledge those complaints that are made but do not otherwise result in a finding by your organization that any violation of HIPAA or the organization's policies and procedures has occurred or where the organization has decided not to take any further action: Dear :___________________________ Thank you for bringing to our attention your concerns regarding _______________. Maintaining the privacy of health information is very important to us, and we appreciate the information you have provided. We will review your concerns and will take any necessary steps as part of our ongoing privacy compliance and improvement program. Again, thank you for your time and concern. If you have further questions about this matter, please contact______________ at _____________. Sample Response Letter 2 - Specific Response This is an example of a letter that could be used to both acknowledge a complaint and explain any steps taken by your organization in response to the complaint. Dear :_______________________________ Thank you for bringing to our attention your concerns regarding____________. Maintaining the privacy of health information is very important to us, and we appreciate the information you have provided. We have reviewed your concerns and [will take/have taken] the following steps to address this issue: ________________________________________________________. Again, thank you for your time and concern. If you have further questions about this matter, please contact _______________ at ___________________________. Source: HIPAA Policies & Procedures Desk Reference, copyright 2003, American Medical Association.
Don't let your patients think that their privacy complaints have fallen into a black hole once they've been submitted to your organization. Have a look at these sample response letters crafted by the American Medical Association:
Health Information Compliance Alert
- PRIVACY COMPLIANCE ~ 8 Questions To Ask When Drafting HIPAA Sanction Policies
Have you recently taken a look at your list of what constitutes a violation of [...] - Electronic Health Records ~ You Could Soon Get Help Upgrading Your Computer Systems
CMS, OIG loosen up on donations of e-prescription, EHR systems. Hospitals will be able to [...] - You Be The Security Expert ~ Do We Need A Backup For Our Audits?
Read the situation below and decide how you would handle it before you compare it [...] - Privacy Compliance ~ Use This Advice To Prevent Privacy Breaches In Your Clinical Lab
Direct or indirect treatment provider? Know your obligations. Many labs may still be unsure about [...] - Privacy Tips ~ Fine Tune Your Lab's HIPAA Compliance With These 3 Tips
Don't let lab data streams spill over into privacy violations. While clinical labs may occupy [...] - Training ~ Keep HIPAA Simple:
Link Privacy Training To Jobs For Best Results
Are your business associate relationships properly labeled? Teaching staff about HIPAA can be daunting, but [...] - Reader Question ~ "MARKETING," "RESEARCH" OR JUST PLAIN QA?
Question: I work for a chemical dependency care facility, and we're considering creating new services [...] - Reader Question ~ PHI DISCLOSURE AND THE BADGE
Question: Here's a hypothetical situation, but one that happens all too often: A traffic accident [...] - Reader Question ~ SIGN BEFORE TEST RESULTS GO ON THE NET
Question: If a patient wishes to have test results sent to him via e-mail and [...] - INDUSTRY NEWS ~ Will Your Computers Be Able To Talk To Each Other?
House and Senate set to hash out fate of health IT. Stay tuned: You could [...] - Compliance Tool:
2 Response Letters Keep Patients Posted On Complaints
Put your actions in writing and protect against further criticism.
Don't let your patients think that [...]