Board Agenda - September 04, 2007

h. HIPPA security official

Presenter: Jeff Bailey

Purpose: A - Request decision - closure required

Time: No time limit

Description:

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is the federal regulation that protects individual private health information. It requires organizations that collect or access an individual's medical records to protect the information through specific safeguards. As required by this law, the district designated a privacy officer to oversee workforce training on privacy policies, aid in instituting safeguards to protect health data, develop an internal complaint process for privacy compliance, etc. As it is important that this person have an understanding of health plans, the director for benefits and risk management was appointed.

As the district has grown and the use of electronic transfers of data has increased, we are recommending the executive director for technology operations be appointed as the security official, in accordance with HIPAA regulations. Working with the privacy officer, the security official will monitor electronic safeguards for private health information and help in the development of HIPAA security guidelines.

Recommendation:

To appoint the executive director for technology operations as the HIPAA security official for Plano ISD and the Plano ISD Employee Health Benefit Plan.

Business Impact:

Compliance will protect the privacy of members of the health plan, and the district from potential fines.

Summary:

Appendix:

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