LakeRidge Blog

HIPAA

Practical guidance on HIPAA privacy and security rule safeguards for covered entities and business associates.

Need help putting this into practice? See our HIPAA compliance services or the HIPAA handbook.

How to Implement HIPAA Facility Access Controls (164.310(a)(1)): A Step-by-Step Compliance Guide

HIPAA ·Dec 2025

How to Implement HIPAA Facility Access Controls (164.310(a)(1)): A Step-by-Step Compliance Guide

A practical, step-by-step guide to implementing HIPAA Facility Access Controls (164.310(a)(1)) with actionable technical controls, policies, and small-business examples to meet HIPAA requirements.

How to Create Audit-Ready HIPAA 164.316(a) Policies and Procedures: Templates, Documentation, and Change Control

HIPAA ·Dec 2025

How to Create Audit-Ready HIPAA 164.316(a) Policies and Procedures: Templates, Documentation, and Change Control

Step-by-step guidance for building audit-ready HIPAA 164.316(a) policies and procedures within your HIPAA — templates, evidence, and change control best practices.

How to Create and Maintain Written HIPAA Policies and Procedures (164.316(b)(1)) — Practical Implementation Checklist

HIPAA ·Dec 2025

How to Create and Maintain Written HIPAA Policies and Procedures (164.316(b)(1)) — Practical Implementation Checklist

Step-by-step guidance for creating, documenting, and maintaining HIPAA-compliant written policies and procedures to meet 164.316(b)(1) and demonstrate ongoing HIPAA conformance.

Oakwood Hospital Worker Fired For Facebook Comments in HIPAA Violation

HIPAA ·Feb 2024

Oakwood Hospital Worker Fired For Facebook Comments in HIPAA Violation

Michigan healthcare provider, Oakwood Healthcare, Inc., has verified that an employee at Oakwood Hospital & Medical Center had their employment terminated for posting derogatory remarks about a patient on their Facebook page, leading to a HIPAA privacy violation

HIPAA for Managed Service Providers

HIPAA ·Feb 2024

HIPAA for Managed Service Providers

Understanding HIPAA is crucial for Managed Service Providers offering services to the healthcare sector or to organizations that assist the healthcare industry

HIPAA Disaster Recovery

HIPAA ·Feb 2024

HIPAA Disaster Recovery

Having a disaster recovery plan for HIPAA is crucial when it comes to contingency planning

HIPAA Password Sharing

HIPAA ·Jan 2024

HIPAA Password Sharing

Password sharing in healthcare may contribute to productivity in certain situations, however, it is crucial to maintain strict control over this practice and never allow it for accessing electronic protected health information (ePHI), a HIPAA violation.

HIPAA Release Form Texas

HIPAA ·Jan 2024

HIPAA Release Form Texas

Our Free HIPAA Release Form for Texas serves as a means to request medical records while ensuring compliance with the regulations outlined in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

HIPAA Release Form Florida

HIPAA ·Jan 2024

HIPAA Release Form Florida

Our Free HIPAA Release Form for Florida serves as a means to request medical records while ensuring compliance with the regulations outlined in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

HIPAA Release Form California

HIPAA ·Jan 2024

HIPAA Release Form California

Our Free HIPAA Release Form for California serves as a means to request medical records while ensuring compliance with the regulations outlined in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

HIPAA Compliance for Medical Centers

HIPAA ·Jan 2024

HIPAA Compliance for Medical Centers

Medical centers must comply with the Administrative Simplification standards of HIPAA in order to be HIPAA compliant.

HIPAA Compliance In Urgent Care

HIPAA ·Jan 2024

HIPAA Compliance In Urgent Care

The correlation between HIPAA compliance in urgent care is not seamless, due to the potential for heightened emotions during emergency events.

HIPAA Compliance Officer

HIPAA ·Jan 2024

HIPAA Compliance Officer

To become HIPAA compliant, a Covered Entity or Business Associate need to understand the responsibilities of a HIPAA Compliance Officer. It is crucial to note that a HIPAA Compliance Officer is entrusted with two distinct roles that of a Privacy Officer and a Security Officer.

HIPAA Email Compliance

HIPAA ·Jan 2024

HIPAA Email Compliance

Covered entities and business associates are obligated to implement various safeguards to ensure compliance with the standards for HIPAA email regulations.

HIPAA Compliant Hosting

HIPAA ·Jan 2024

HIPAA Compliant Hosting

In order to safeguard sensitive patient information stored in the cloud, healthcare organizations are required to opt for hosting companies that comply with HIPAA regulations when hosting applications, websites, and databases.

HIPAA Text message (SMS) Regulations

HIPAA ·Jan 2024

HIPAA Text message (SMS) Regulations

Text message (SMS) regulations under HIPAA outline the specific circumstances in which communication with a patient via text message (SMS) is permitted, as well as the necessary precautions for all other text messages (SMS).

HIPAA Security Officer

HIPAA ·Jan 2024

HIPAA Security Officer

The primary responsibility of a HIPAA Security Officer is to create and execute guidelines and protocols that safeguard the authenticity of electronic Protected Health Information.

HIPAA Training Requirements

HIPAA ·Jan 2024

HIPAA Training Requirements

The HIPAA training requirements lean more towards offering guidance rather than enforcing strict laws. They recommend that training should be provided periodically and when specific events take place. We propose implementing a more organized training regimen and adopting best practices for Covered Entities and Business Associates when it comes to HIPAA training.

HIPAA 101

HIPAA ·Nov 2023

HIPAA 101

Everything you need to know about HIPAA; what it is, who it applies to, and more.

HIPAA and HITECH

HIPAA ·Oct 2023

HIPAA and HITECH

Covered Entities and Business Associates must familiarize themselves with the HITECH Act as it closely relates to the HIPAA and HITECH regulations. It is essential to comprehend the similarities and distinctions between HIPAA and HITECH, and where to access further details about these Acts.

HIPAA Password Sharing Policy

HIPAA ·Oct 2023

HIPAA Password Sharing Policy

A Password Sharing Policy that is compliant with HIPAA should explicitly forbid Covered Entities, Business Associates, and their staff members from sharing passwords that grant access to electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI). Additionally, it is highly recommended to disallow caregivers from using shared passwords to access patient portals.

HIPAA Medical Records

HIPAA ·Oct 2023

HIPAA Compliance for Medical Records

Safeguarding the security of medical records are required to meet HIPAA compliance requirements, this can be best achieved through cloud services.

HIPAA Risk Assessment

HIPAA ·Oct 2023

HIPAA Risk Assessment

Performing a HIPAA risk assessment is crucial for ensuring compliance with HIPAA regulations, discovering potential areas of vulnerability and weakness that could lead to data breaches. Once these areas are identified, Privacy and Security Officers can then create a comprehensive Risk Management Plan and implement necessary measures to effectively safeguard against unauthorized disclosures of Protected Health Information (PHI).

HIPAA Dentists

HIPAA ·Oct 2023

HIPAA Guide for Dentists

The master guide for HIPAA compliance for all dentists, regardless of whether they are self-contained entities or not.

HIPAA Encryption

HIPAA ·Oct 2023

HIPAA Encryption Requirements

Everything you need to know about HIPAA encryption requirements

HIPAA Covered Entity

HIPAA ·Oct 2023

HIPAA Covered Entity

What is a HIPAA Covered Entity? and everything you need to know about them.

HIPAA Telemedicine

HIPAA ·Oct 2023

HIPAA Telemedicine

The comprehensive HIPAA guide for telemedicine and the proper methods for transmitting electronic protected health information (ePHI) during remote healthcare services

HIPAA Social Media Policy

HIPAA ·Oct 2023

HIPAA Social Media Policy

Healthcare organizations must prioritize HIPAA compliance when it comes to their social media policies. It is imperative that patient information remains confidential, protected, and is only shared with explicit consent. To prevent any HIPAA violations, healthcare employees need to create and enforce well-defined social media policies. These guidelines encompass various aspects and serve as a roadmap.

HIPAA Violation Penalty Tiers Explained

HIPAA ·Sep 2023

HIPAA Violation Fines

HIPAA violation fines are given by the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and state attorneys general to entities that fail to comply with HIPAA regulations.

UnitedHealthcare Pays Settlement for HIPAA violation over Patient Medical Records Request

HIPAA ·Sep 2023

UnitedHealthcare Pays Settlement for HIPAA violation over Patient Medical Records Request

UnitedHealthcare Settles for $80,000