The HIPAA Privacy Rule (Public Law 104-191) regulates the use and disbursement of individually identifiable health information and gives individuals the right to determine and restrict access to their health information. It requires that reasonable and appropriate technical, physical, and administrative safeguards be taken with electronic, individually identifiable health information. Specifically, we must ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of all electronic protected health information we create, receive, maintain, or transmit.
All students at Rocky Vista University must complete a training course over the privacy laws that apply to the Health Professions to meet requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Annual refresher training is required as well. The HIPAA training is provided online, and information to access training will be provided at orientation. A score of 80% or better on the HIPAA training course is a requirement prior to entering RVU programs.
All RVU students are required to abide by all rules, regulations, and policies of HIPAA. RVU has a zero-tolerance policy for violation of patient privacy, and failure to adhere to the mandates of HIPAA is grounds for immediate dismissal from the program.
Students are further expressly prohibited from taking photographs or video of patients without proper preceptor and patient consent. Any and all photographs or videos properly obtained are to be used for educational purposes only and shall not be distributed in any fashion, including, but not limited to, email, hard copy, or social media. The improper acquisition, use, or dissemination of any patient photos or videos is considered a significant violation of both HIPAA and program policies and may result in immediate dismissal from the program.