HIPAA: OCR Kicks New Year Off With Right of Access Settlement

Why This Topic Matters

Right of Access remains an active area of HIPAA enforcement, so organizations that manage patient records need to understand current OCR expectations and operational risk areas. The article is useful for entities that want to review policies, training, documentation practices, and request-handling workflows in light of recent enforcement activity.

Article Sections

1. Background

   Introduces the recent enforcement context and summarizes how the initiative has developed over time. It frames the article’s focus on recent settlement activity and broader compliance attention from OCR.

2. Two recent settlements

   Summarizes two recent OCR resolutions involving delayed access to records in different care settings. The section describes the general circumstances, settlement outcomes, and monitoring components.

3. Add These Right of Access Tips to Your HIPAA Wheelhouse

   Outlines general compliance themes organizations may consider when reviewing Right of Access policies and related procedures. It emphasizes staff education, documentation, third-party issues, timelines, and policy maintenance.