Frequency and Documentation

FrequencyIt's the age-old question - how often should compliance training be given and required? Here are a few options:

• Annual training - Most organizations require all employees to complete annual compliance and HIPAA training. According to documents by the OIG, a minimum of one to three hours annually for basic training in compliance areas should be completed. More is required for specialty fields such as billing and coding.

• New employees - HIPAA requires all new employees to receive training on HIPAA Privacy and Security.

Documentation

Documentation of employee and contractor training should be keep for the length of the retention period. HIPAA requires covered entities to retain employee training records for at least six years. Some states may have longer timeframes for retention. Training documentation helps show how the organization has performed its due diligence in educating employees on compliance aspects. Training documentation may also be used in disciplinary actions. It's important to keep records that can be easily accessed. Electronic, password protected, confidential files are a best practice. Many organizations have an education department where information is kept. The compliance officer should have access to the training records or at least be provided record copies in a reasonable timeframe.