Government
AMA to report ways to protect doctors from HIPAA problems
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Nov. 28, 2005
The American Medical Association will look into ways to protect physicians from Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act violations when they contract for services overseas.
AMA trustees will report back at the Annual Meeting in June 2006 on how to provide safeguards for doctors who outsource services in good faith who are later found to be in violation of HIPAA privacy and security statutes. Delegates at the Interim Meeting in Dallas also approved a trustees report that urges physicians to exercise due diligence on HIPAA issues before entering into contracts with overseas business associates.
Some AMA delegates called for the AMA to address additional issues, including the need for information technology standards and for liability protections when physician business partners are the ones who outsource. The committee reviewing the testimony, however, said certain issues can be addressed only by doctors' personal attorneys.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2005/11/28/gvbf1128.htm.
