Depending on the industry you are working in, you may be looking for different features for a full service compliance package. Whether it’s HIPAA, for organizations working in healthcare, or OSHA, for any employer, it can be difficult to determine what your organization needs to have in place to be compliant. Utilizing a company that offers a full service compliance package streamlines the process of implementing HIPAA and OSHA standards.

What to Look for in a Full Service Compliance Package

Not all full service compliance packages are created equal. Some companies may claim that they offer a full service compliance package, when in fact they may be missing some key components.

When looking for a full service compliance package, you should look for the following for HIPAA compliance:

◈ Risk assessments. HIPAA requires organizations working in healthcare to conduct annual self-audits. Risk assessments evaluate an organization’s administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to ensure adherence to HIPAA standards.

◈ Gap identification and remediation. By conducting self-audits, gaps in an organization’s safeguards are identified. Safeguards are meant to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of PHI, as such, when safeguards are found lacking, it is essential to develop remediation plans to close gaps.

◈ Policies and procedures. Policies and procedures provide management and employees with guidance on how to comply with HIPAA security and privacy standards. To ensure that all staff comply with HIPAA obligations, it is imperative to develop policies and procedures dictating the proper uses and disclosures of PHI, how to report a suspected breach, how to use company equipment, etc.

◈ Employee training. HIPAA requires employees to be trained annually. Employee training should include training on HIPAA standards, as well as your organization’s internal policies and procedures. 

◈ Business associate management. Business associates are entities that are contracted to perform a job function that doesn’t necessarily involve accessing PHI, however, they may come into contact with PHI as part of their job. To ensure that business associates protect the PHI that they create, maintain, store, receive, or transmit on your behalf, it is essential that you have a signed business associate agreement (BAA) before you work with them. A BAA dictates the safeguards that they business associate is required to have in place. A BAA also requires both of the signing parties to be HIPAA compliant, and states that each party is responsible for maintaining their own compliance. 

◈ Incident management. As part of the HIPAA regulations, organizations are required to report breaches. A full service compliance package should have the means for your employees to report suspected breaches anonymously. Breaches that affect 500 or more patients must be reported within 60 days of discovery to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), affected patients, and the media. Breaches affecting less than 500 patients must be reported within 60 days from the end of the calendar year in which the breach was discovered. They must be reported to the HHS and affected patients.

When looking for a full service compliance package, you should look for the following for OSHA compliance:

◈ Policies and procedures. OSHA compliance requires organizations to have policies and procedures to ensure workplace safety. This includes the proper handling of equipment and hazardous materials, implementing an emergency action plan, and reporting workplace injuries.

◈ Employee training. To ensure a safe work environment, employees must be trained. Employee training enables proper work procedures, while preventing workplace injury. 

◈ Incident management. Should workplace injury or illness occur, a report must be filed documenting the nature of the injury or illness.

Compliancy Group’s Full Service Compliance Package

Compliancy Group’s full service compliance package offers clients everything they need to comply with HIPAA and OSHA standards. Our compliance software provides risk assessments, gap identification and remediation, policies and procedures, employee training, business associate management, and incident management, all stored in one convenient location. Our compliance software allows you to implement an effective compliance program, with full documentation and tracking. Additionally, Compliancy Group offers guided support through our Compliance CoachesTM. Compliance Coaches assist clients through every step of implementing a complete compliance program, meeting with clients virtually. In between coaching sessions, Coaches are always available to answer any questions that may arise.