The purpose of this policy is to inform employees regarding compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996. All employees should be aware that HIPAA severely restricts the sharing and transmission of private health information (PHI) to non-qualified parties.
Employees should never share private health information of their own or that of others. In certain circumstances—such as with regard to colleagues who are ill or in the hospital—the School realizes this may seem contrary to the spirit and culture of caring for colleagues that we have established over the years at the School. While all employees should seek to maintain a caring culture, all need to also recognize the personal protections provided under HIPAA and remain in compliance, for the benefit of all concerned.
Please consult Human Resources with any questions regarding the School’s responsibilities and individual employee responsibilities with respect to HIPAA and private health information.