When is a privacy officer required under HIPAA?

While employers are not usually considered covered entities under HIPAA, an employer that is a plan sponsor will have to comply with some of HIPAA's privacy rules in order to receive any protected health information (PHI) that it may need. Therefore, employers who are plan sponsors will be required under the HIPAA privacy rules to appoint a privacy officer.

The role of the privacy officer is to oversee and maintain the privacy and security infrastructure. For the privacy officer this will include directing the development and administration of all the policies, procedures and practices relating to the privacy of patient health information. This person should have a health information management background and knowledge of HIPAA. In addition to appointing a privacy officer, employers who are plan sponsors will also have to appoint a security officer.

When is a privacy officer required under HIPAA? While employers are not usually considered covered entities under HIPAA, ...