Most practices not adhering to HIPAA ‘patient access’ rules; ameliorate efforts now

Why This Topic Matters

Patient access compliance is a frequent operational and enforcement focus for OCR, and deficiencies can affect documentation, workflows, policies, and patient communications. Understanding the article helps organizations gauge whether their current practices align with federal privacy requirements and upcoming rulemaking.

Article Sections

1. Report findings

   Summarizes OCR audit observations about common compliance gaps and areas where covered entities struggled to demonstrate proper access-related processes.

2. Smaller organizations at risk

   Discusses how organization size, staffing, and operational structure may affect the handling of patient access requests and related responsibilities.

3. Bracing for more action

   Covers the broader regulatory context, including proposed Privacy Rule changes and general steps organizations may consider when reviewing their access practices.