Healthcare compliance can’t happen without well-trained staff, and it doesn’t just happen with informed in-house employees. You must ensure that you are on top of training on information security and compliance for external workers, such as for contractors, vendors, and other parties who work with your organization.
Everyone who works with protected health information (PHI) or your entity’s information infrastructure is responsible for safeguarding against threats to patient privacy and security. Proper training for external personnel reduces risk to your organization, improves care quality, and promotes compliance.
Outcomes of Workforce Training for External Workers
All individuals external to your hospital, practice, or company need the proper training if they have the potential to access your patients’ PHI. A person doesn’t have to be on your payroll for you to instill in them the importance of reducing risk, enhancing patient safety, and fostering a positive culture of compliance.
At the end of training on information security and compliance for external workforces, trainees should be able to
- Properly handle, share, record, and dispose of PHI and other sensitive patient data
- Engage in accurate and ethical billing procedures, including coding
- Engage in actions that facilitate safe working conditions
- Carry out the proper steps for reporting non-compliance incidents
- Implement best practices in cybersecurity
- Periodically review the organization’s policies and procedures related to compliance
Training on information security and compliance for external workers is a sound investment in your company’s protection. It helps everyone understand the risks and how they can help make your organization a safer place for everyone.
Importance of Workforce Compliance Testing
Workforce compliance testing is a strong indicator of the success of your company’s external staff training. Individuals should undergo assessment for their cognitive and behavioral learning at various stages of the training process.
In addition to the exams that conclude most training courses, students should get knowledge checks at various intervals, such as at the end of each module. When seeking a compliance service provider that offers a training platform, ensure that they incorporate smaller tests or quizzes that incrementally test comprehension of critical concepts and practices.
Besides assessing trainee comprehension, workforce compliance testing sheds light on the effectiveness and impact of the training itself. For example, if few trainees do well on the periodic knowledge checks or if the number of trainees who pass a course is lower than average, it could signal the need for improvements to the training format or material.
A Software Solution for Training on Information Security and Compliance for External Workforces
If you want to streamline your compliance training and ensure its accessibility to everyone, consider the training software from Compliancy Group. In our comprehensive training modules for HIPAA, OSHA, and SOC 2 compliance, we incorporate workforce compliance testing at all levels to help you ensure comprehension and assess the effectiveness of your training efforts.
At Compliancy Group, we know how necessary training is for all personnel, not just your internal staff. For more information on our online training and other compliance software, contact us today.
