Policy

It is the policy of the University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Pharmacy (UMB SOP) that all personnel complete training to understand and comply with all federal laws concerning the privacy and security of protected health information (HIPAA).

To meet both federal and institutional obligations under this regulation, the Dean, in cooperation with Department Chairs, has established procedures to ensure that all current faculty, staff, and students at the School of Pharmacy are trained in a timely manner and at the appropriate level to meet all HIPAA regulations.

Training must be completed within thirty (30) days of employment or date of orientation.

This policy applies to all SOP employees and students. Employees include faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows and residents. Students include PharmD and graduate students.

Procedures

The SOP utilizes the University of Maryland School of Medicine on-line HIPAA training modules.

All SOP personnel and students must complete Module 1 (HIPAA 125 Privacy and Security Awareness Training), Module 2 (HIPAA 203 Information Technology) and Module 3 (HIPAA 201 Human Research).[1] Exceptions to required training must be approved by the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education.

Training is required only once unless UMB policy requires more frequent training or otherwise deemed necessary by the Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Education.

The Human Resources Office will provide all new employees with written instructions on how to complete on-line HIPAA training. In the event that on-line training is not possible within the 30-day deadline, the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education will make available a hard (paper) copy training and assessment.

The Associate Dean for Student Affairs is responsible for assuring that all incoming PharmD students complete HIPAA training within 30 days of matriculation. The Office of Student Affairs will provide all new students with instructions on how to complete HIPAA training during New Student Orientation, and will provide transfer students the instructions upon registration to University of Maryland.

Computing and Network Services is responsible for maintaining a database of all SOP employees and students and the date(s) of HIPAA training completion. These reports are available for review by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education.

The Associate Dean for Student Affairs is responsible for reviewing reports, notifying students who are out of compliance with this policy, and enforcing the training requirement for PharmD students.

The Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education is responsible for reviewing reports and notifying the department chair or appropriate supervisor of employees and graduate students who are out of compliance with this policy.