If you work in the healthcare industry, or even if you do not, you have most certainly heard of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act or for short HIPAA. HIPAA was put into affect in 1996 in an effort to help protect private patient and health information. As well, many of HIPAA regulations serve to help more people qualify for health insurance regardless of sometimes disqualifying issues like preexisting conditions that insurance providers would use prior to HIPAA to deny coverage. The act is extensive and can be complicated if you do not have proper training. There is help available to sort through and understand the extensive HIPAA legislation in the form of HIPAA training, exams, and certification.

If you are a healthcare worker, it would be helpful, and even crucial, to your career to take a HIPAA course and exam for certification. There are many reasons it can be helpful for your career and here are the top three reasons you should consider taking a HIPAA exam for certification:

1) To better serve your patients. Healthcare policy and law can be very confusing to most patients. They do not live in the healthcare system everyday and often when they find themselves involved their nerves are rattled anyway. You owe it to them to be up to date on all policies affecting their personal health information and access to insurance coverage. Whether you are a nurse, doctor, or medical receptionist, the patients depend on you to understand the policies.

2) To avoid career and legal repercussions. By taking a HIPAA exam for certification, you could be saving your career. If you are caught violating HIPAA laws, claiming ignorance will not allow you to avoid a lawsuit. Especially with private health information, the HIPAA regulations are very particular. A HIPAA violation often comes with expensive fines and the potential of a civil lawsuit from the patient whos information was violated.

3) To give yourself a competitive edge in your career. So far, actual HIPAA certification is not required by law, although it is required or recommended by many employers. Taking the initiative to further your knowledge in HIPAA regulations and proving your competency by taking the HIPAA exam and becoming certified, will set you apart from the competition. A HIPAA certification could put you ahead of coworkers for a promotion or help you land a new or better job with a new employer. Even though they may not require it, many employers will pay for part or all of the fee for you to take the HIPAA exam, so ask your employee if they offer this. Impress you superiors even further by doing your research and then suggestion that everyone on your staff become HIPAA certified. That strong initiative and drive will be sure to impress them and they will remember come time to promote someone.

These three major reasons to take a HIPAA exam for certification help to encompass the overall theme that HIPAA certification can only benefit you, your patients, and your career.

For more information, please visit our HIPAA Exams website.

For more information, please visit our HIPAA Exams website http://www.hipaaexams.com/index.asp

Author Bio: For more information, please visit our HIPAA Exams website.

Category: Education
Keywords: HIPAA Exams