How To Tell When Your Dentist is Violating HIPAA!

Nov. 26, 2012 - PRLog -- Dr. Catrise Austin is a prominent dentist who has worked on a variety of A-list celebrities. Her dental practice is off of 57th Avenue in New York City. Although Dr. Austin has high-profile dental patients, she also provides care (and a free blog) to her regular clientele. Part of her standards of practice is to educate her clients about their oral health, which includes informing them of how and when a dentist may be violating HIPPA.

“The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 serves four main purposes.  It prevents insurance fraud and abuse, it mandates industry-wide standards for electronic billing and data processing, it allows people to transfer health insurance coverage if employment is changed or lost, and it helps protect the privacy of a person’s protected health information,” said Dr. Catrise Austin. “Knowing what HIPAA is and how it is used puts a person in a better position to recognize when HIPAA violations are occurring. My entire platform is educating my clients, and even those who are not my patients, about dental terms and important issues- such as HIPAA and dental care.”

Dr. Catrise Austin says there are four major red flags to look for one suspects his/her dentist is violating HIPAA. “Charts should never go home with anyone, including the dentist. If someone hears office staff discussing records being transferred between office and home, or even sees it happening, they should report it because it violates both federal and state laws,” said Dr. Austin. “Files being stored on a laptop that is not encrypted can also breach a person’s health information. This is where individual members of an office staff would have to speak up.  If the manager of a dental office backs up electronic files to a laptop or non-encrypted flash drive, and that item is stolen, the liability for the dentist is massive. HIPAA still considers stolen property a breach of protecting personal health information.”  Dr. Austin also notates simple warnings such as noticing information about a patient being shared without his/her consent (including with students) or not being offered a HIPAA form upon service.

More information on HIPAA and the dentist can be accessed by visiting Dr. Austin’s free blog. http://nyccgd.com/


About: Dr. Catrise Austin is a trailblazing expert in the field of dentistry. She is the author of a dental consumer book “5 Steps to the Hollywood A-List Smile”, a professional speaker, spokesperson, entrepreneur, and founder of NYC Cosmetic and General Dentistry (Formerly VIP Smiles)-a modern dental practice in New York City. Dr. Austin has solidified her reputation with national TV appearances, such as appearances on the “Today Show”, “Good Morning America,” and VH1’s “Love and Hip Hop”, among others. Her signature services include Celebrity/Concierge Dentistry, 1 hour teeth whitening, HIV testing, Comprehensive exams and more! More information on Dr. Austin and NYC Cosmetic and General Dentistry can be obtained by clicking here: http://nyccgd.com/services/celebrity-and-concierge-dentis...