Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protects individually identifiable health information (protected health information, or PHI) by establishing transaction standards for the exchange of health information, security standards, and privacy standards for the use and disclosure of PHI.

As part of your admission to the School of Nursing, you must complete the mandatory University of Minnesota Online HIPAA training before the first day of class. All University of Minnesota Academic Health Center (AHC) faculty, staff and students must complete the online training to comply with the Federal HIPAA regulations. The HIPAA regulations ensure patient privacy and security of protected health information. The training consists of four modules:

• HIPAA Awareness Video
• Safeguarding Patient Health Information
• Privacy and Confidentiality in Research
• Privacy and Confidentiality in Clinical Settings

The number of modules you need to complete is dependent on your role, responsibility and curriculum. You will receive an e-mail notification from the School of Nursing HIPAA Privacy Coordinator when the training modules have been designated for your completion. Failure to complete the required HIPAA training modules within 14 days after the start of the semester will result in a HOLD being placed on your student record. This hold will prohibit any future course registrations.

To access and complete the Online HIPAA Training Modules:

• After you receive your University of Minnesota Internet ID, activate your University of Minnesota E-Mail account following the instructions at www.umn.edu/initiate.
• Using your activated University of Minnesota Internet ID and password, log on to the Academic Health Center portal at www.myahc.umn.edu, the University of Minnesota portal at www.myU.umn.edu or the WebCT portal at www.webct.umn.edu to access the HIPAA training.
• Choose the "Toolkit" menu option and the modules designated for your completion will appear under the HIPAA heading. Click on each module title and complete as instructed.

You will receive an e-mail confirmation when all modules are successfully completed. Keep a copy of the e-mail confirmation for your records. You may need to complete additional HIPAA training at other sites if you have work or clinical assignments outside the University. For more information about HIPAA, log on to http://privacysecurity.umn.edu.

If you experience any technical problems, please contact the University Computer HELPLine at 612-301-4357. For any questions or concerns regarding the HIPAA training or regulations, contact the HIPAA Privacy Coordinator:

Peter Lunney
612-624-5424
lunne010@umn.edu