HIPAA and COVID-19

The HIPAA Compliance Office at UNE is here to help students, faculty, and professional staff navigate anything related to HIPAA during these unprecedented times. Everyone in the UNE community may encounter new situations relating to Protected Health Information (PHI), especially as so much communication and information-sharing is now virtual. HIPAA is especially challenging to navigate as we are in the midst of a public health crisis, where rules about sharing health information may temporarily change.

Faculty and staff may find themselves in situations where students present COVID-19 test results or other sensitive health documentation. Faculty and staff should not accept these documents and should direct students to the Student Health Center. If something containing PHI is received in error, it can be sent to the Student Health Center and promptly deleted.

You can always review your HIPAA Compliance Training module in Blackboard, or contact the HIPAA Compliance Office if you would like more information about protecting PHI. If you encounter a situation involving PHI in which you are unsure how to proceed, contact the HIPAA Compliance Office.

The HIPAA Compliance Office welcomes any questions or concerns, no matter how small! Contact us anytime at hipaa@une.edu.