Patient communication is not just a conversation—it is a vital part of the medical record. As healthcare professionals, understanding how to navigate this critical intersection of documentation, confidentiality, and compliance is essential to providing high-quality care while staying aligned with regulations.

This webinar by HIPAA expert and healthcare attorney, Mark R. Brengelman provides an overview of medical records with a brief examination of what is or is not required for a health care practitioner to document.  Next, Mark will discuss sources of medical record keeping requirements in addition to the usual state law sources of requirements for various health care professions.

This session will focus on the whether and how HIPAA applies to the content of the record for a patient communication, and what constitutes patient communications – what are they and where do they come from, such as e-mails and texts? The focus continues with reviewing HIPAA protections as applied to those e-mails and texts.

In addition, this webinar goes into detail about patient portals and the integration of the medical record with all information that may be flowing into and out of a patient portal from a health care provider.

Finally, Mark will review state laws with the perspective of whether the health care practitioner must include those patient communications in the patient’s medical record. Even if the answer is no, should the health care provider include such patient communications in the patient’s medical record?  Is there a harm in not doing so? Is there a harm in doing so, especially when medical records are so largely electronic, and saving a copy of an e-mail or a text seems easy?

Health care practitioners need to know the basic issues of medical records and patient communications so as to follow federal and state law, where applicable. From years of the application of laws to medical records, reporting, and writing by the HHS, the remainder of the webinar will detail the top Frequently Asked Questions health care practitioners need to know.

Erase the fear, uncertainty, and doubt about what specifically you need to know about the top issues of patient communications to be documented, or not, in the patient medical record, that health care practitioners face.

Webinar Objectives

This webinar aims to provide healthcare professionals, compliance officers, and administrative staff with a comprehensive understanding of the role patient communication plays in medical records. Participants will explore the critical intersection of patient communication, confidentiality, and compliance, focusing on:

• Understanding Documentation Requirements:
  • How patient communication becomes part of the medical record and its significance in clinical, legal, and operational contexts.
  • The importance of accurate and timely documentation to ensure continuity of care and minimize liability risks.
• Navigating Regulatory Compliance:
  • An in-depth review of regulations such as HIPAA, state-specific laws, and other standards governing patient communication and documentation.
  • Key strategies for maintaining confidentiality while addressing compliance challenges in program-to-program communication.
• Identifying and Avoiding Common Pitfalls:
  • Real-world examples of errors and oversights in handling patient communication, and their potential impact on compliance, patient trust, and organizational reputation.
  • Proven solutions to address these challenges and reduce risks.
• Implementing Best Practices:
  • Actionable steps to develop and implement secure communication processes that align with legal requirements and ethical standards.
  • Training staff to handle sensitive patient information effectively, ensuring compliance and enhancing teamwork across programs.
• Improving Patient Trust and Outcomes:
  • Exploring how effective and compliant communication builds stronger patient-provider relationships, increases trust, and leads to better healthcare outcomes.

By the end of this webinar, participants will have the knowledge and practical tools needed to integrate compliant communication practices into their operations, protect patient confidentiality, and elevate the standard of care within their organizations.

Webinar Agenda

• What are patient communications?
• What are the sources of patient communications?
• How does HIPAA apply to patient communications?
• What are the key requirements for medical records?
• Should patient communications be included in medical records, even if not legally required?
• What are the pros and cons of including or excluding patient communications?

Webinar Highlights

• Overview of medical records and their content.
• Sources of requirements for medical record content.
• How HIPAA impacts patient communications.
• Types of patient communications and their sources.
• Role of patient portals and whether their data is part of medical records.
• How state laws influence the inclusion of patient communications.
• Advantages and disadvantages of documenting patient communications.
• Key takeaways, FAQs, and tips to avoid liability.

Who Should Attend

This session is tailored for professionals across the healthcare spectrum, including:

• Physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals
• Compliance officers and risk management teams
• Medical record and health information managers
• Legal and regulatory advisors in the healthcare sector