Course Overview

Business associates face the same HIPAA compliance responsibilities as covered entities—yet many don’t realize it. The HITECH Act made business associates directly liable for Privacy and Security Rule violations, but confusion persists. Vendors often believe HIPAA is “the healthcare provider’s problem” or that Business Associate Agreements shield them from liability.

The Office for Civil Rights has levied multi-million dollar penalties against business associates for inadequate encryption, missing risk analyses, improper PHI disposal, and unauthorized access. Business associates handle vast amounts of Protected Health Information through billing systems, cloud storage, transcription services, IT support, and data analytics. Without proper training, employees don’t understand what constitutes PHI, when they can disclose it, how to secure it, or what to do when breaches occur.

This comprehensive course provides business associate workforce members with complete HIPAA compliance knowledge, including direct obligations under the Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules, plus the 2024 Final Rule protecting reproductive health information.

Build a Safer, More Compliant Workplace

What You’ll Learn

Upon completing this course, your employees will be able to:

Define business associates and understand direct HIPAA compliance obligations separate from covered entities

Identify who is covered by HIPAA Privacy and Security Rules and what constitutes Protected Health Information

Understand Business Associate Agreement requirements and the responsibilities they create

Apply use and disclosure rules including permitted uses, required authorizations, and minimum necessary standard

Recognize individual rights including access, amendment, accounting of disclosures, and restrictions

Implement Security Rule requirements including administrative, physical, and technical safeguards

Follow breach notification procedures and understand reporting timelines and requirements

Comprehend penalty provisions including civil penalties up to $2M+ and criminal penalties for intentional violations

Course Content

Lesson 1: Introduction

Why business associates need HIPAA training, direct liability under HITECH Act, overview of course objectives

Lesson 2: HIPAA Basics

Privacy Rule, Security Rule, and Breach Notification Rule overview; covered entities definition; business associate definition and examples; Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) and what they require; Protected Health Information (PHI) definition, examples, and de-identification; difference between PHI and electronic PHI (ePHI)

Lesson 3: Using and Disclosing PHI

Permitted uses: functions outlined in BAA, required disclosures, uses/disclosures requiring authorization, minimum necessary standard application, prohibition on sale of PHI without authorization, restrictions on marketing, business associate obligations when covered entity restricts uses, 2024 Final Rule: reproductive health information protections and limitations on disclosure

Lesson 4: Individuals’ Rights of Access to PHI under HIPAA

How business associates support covered entities in fulfilling individual rights: right to access medical records, right to request amendments, right to accounting of disclosures, right to request use/disclosure restrictions, business associate responsibilities in responding to rights requests, maintaining systems that enable compliance

Lesson 5: Securing PHI

Security Rule application to all business associates, risk analysis and risk management requirements, administrative safeguards, physical safeguards, technical safeguards, encryption requirements for data at rest and in transit, mobile device and laptop security, password management

Lesson 6: Breach Notification Rules

Definition of breach, business associate notification obligations: to covered entity without unreasonable delay and no later than 60 days, what information must be included in breach notification, covered entity’s additional notification requirements, harm threshold and exceptions, importance of immediate internal reporting

Lesson 7: Enforcement

OCR complaint and investigation process, covered entities and business associates are both investigated, civil penalty tiers, annual maximum per violation category can exceed $2 million, criminal penalties for wrongful disclosure, state attorney general enforcement authority, importance of compliance program and good faith efforts

Who This Course Is For

💼 Business Associate Organizations

Billing companies, transcription services, consulting firms, IT vendors, cloud storage providers

👥 All BA Workforce Members

Employees, contractors, and volunteers of business associates who handle PHI

🔧 IT Service Providers

Companies providing technical support, software development, or data hosting for covered entities

📊 Data Analytics & Research Firms

Organizations analyzing healthcare data or conducting health services research

🏢 Accounting & Legal Firms

Professional service providers handling PHI for healthcare clients

🔗 Subcontractors

Organizations providing services to business associates and accessing PHI

Certificate & Compliance

Upon successful completion, learners receive an official certificate of completion documenting their HIPAA Privacy & Security training for business associate compliance records and covered entity requirements.

The course includes assessments that verify understanding of business associate obligations, use/disclosure rules, security requirements, and breach notification. Certificates are generated immediately and can be downloaded or printed for employee files.

Supports Compliance With:

  • HIPAA Privacy Rule business associate provisions
  • HIPAA Security Rule requirements for business associates
  • HIPAA Breach Notification Rule
  • HITECH Act direct liability provisions
  • 2024 Final Rule on reproductive health information
  • Business Associate Agreement training obligations

Choose How Your Team Learns

🖥️ Use Our LMS

Immediate access with zero setup

  • Fast & Easy Setup

  • Automatic progress tracking and reporting

  • Built-in certificate generation

  • No technical expertise required

  • Automated Course Recertification

📦 Use Your Own LMS

Purchase SCORM files for your system

  • Integrate with your existing platform

  • Maintain centralized training records

  • Compatible with all major LMS platforms

  • Full technical specifications provided

  • Dedicated support included

Why Choose Evolve?

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Expert-Developed Content

Courses feature realistic scenarios, engaging multimedia, and knowledge checks to reinforce learning. Content developed by compliance experts ensures accuracy and relevance.

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Accessible Anywhere

Complete training anytime, anywhere on PCs, tablets, or smartphones. Your team can learn at their own pace without disrupting daily operations or scheduling conflicts.

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Engaging & Effective

Scenario-based learning & interactive elements promote retention better than lecture-style courses

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Trackable and Reportable

Monitor completion rates, track progress, and generate compliance reports. Maintain detailed records for audits and regulatory requirements.

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Transparent Pricing

Simple per-seat pricing with no hidden fees, surprise charges, or mandatory bundles. Volume discounts make compliance training affordable for organizations of any size.

Easy Implementation

Begin training your team immediately – no lengthy implementation or waiting periods

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Scalable Solutions

Whether training 5 employees or 500, our platform scales to meet your organization’s needs. Custom course bundles available to address your specific training requirements and budget.

Consistent Quality Training

Every learner receives the same high-quality, up-to-date content. Standardized training ensures your entire organization maintains consistent compliance knowledge.

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Ongoing Support

Dedicated customer support available to assist with questions, technical issues, or training customization needs.

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Protect Your Organization From HIPAA Penalties and Liability

Business associates are directly liable for HIPAA violations—penalties can reach millions. Provide your workforce with comprehensive training that ensures compliance with Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification requirements, including 2024 reproductive health protections.

Trusted by billing companies, IT vendors, consultants, transcription services, and business associates nationwide