1. How do I determine if my facility has a problem with patient privacy from incidental disclosure of oral conversations
2. Is overhearing private patient conversations a problem area covered by HIPAA standards?
3. Does HIPAA prescribe what particular methods may be implemented to protect against incidental oral disclosure?
4. What are reasonable patient privacy safeguards outlined in the HIPAA Ruling?
5. How does patient privacy affect me?
6. Can health care providers engage in confidential conversations with other providers or with patients, even if there is a possibility that they could be overheard
7. How does a spot sound masking help in keeping conversation private?
8. How can I keep conversations private in Pharmacy lines and Patient Waiting Areas?
9. How can I keep conversations private in Hallways?
10. How can I keep conversations private in offices and examining rooms?
11. How does Spot Sound Masking help improve staff efficiency and better patient communications?
12. Why is Spot Sound Masking so cost effective?  
13. What Industry Standards are available to help me measure and understand the level of audibility exposure I may have with oral privacy?
14. What else can I do in my facility to minimize oral privacy disclosure?
15. When doing my own installation, how can I get help determining how many Spot Sound Masking Speakers I need for my particular project situation?
16. Can Valcom arrange for a complete installation of Spot Sound Masking in my offices?
17. How can I make Pharmacy customer waiting areas more private?
18. How can I make Pharmacy customer waiting areas more private?

19. What kind of wire do I use to hook up speakers to the VP-324 power supply?

1. How do I determine if my facility has a problem with patient privacy from incidental disclosure of oral conversations?

• While waiting your turn in Pharmacy or reception lines can you overhear sensitive patient information? 
• Can seated patients in waiting area hear others as they check in with your receptionist?
• While waiting for Lab tests can patients overhear what technicians may be saying to someone receiving treatment?
• When you are in examining rooms or private offices with the door closed can you still hear what is going on in the next room. Can you hear conversations through the door from the hallway? When the air handling system is off can you hear conversations from other rooms through the return air ductwork?
• As you pass through hallways and other public access area can you hear sensitive conversations between staff members and patients?

Knowing that such exposure exists requires you to provide reasonable measures to prevent incidental disclosures. JUST LISTEN, to determine if you have a problem.  Spot Sound Masking is a reasonable safeguard that keeps conversations private by using white noise as an electronic privacy curtain, to reduce the intelligibility of what someone can overhear in offices and in waiting lines.

2. Is overhearing private patient conversations a problem area covered by HIPAA standards?

164.502(a) Incidental Uses and Disclosures states in the Privacy Rule:

Incidental uses or disclosures of protected health information that occur as a result of a use or disclosure permitted by the privacy regulation are not considered violations of the rule, provided that the covered entity has met the reasonable safeguards and minimum necessary requirements.

 

Examples of such incidental uses or disclosures include using sign-in sheets in waiting rooms, maintaining bedside patient charts, and engaging in confidential conversations that are overheard by others (despite reasonable measures to prevent such disclosures).

 

Overhearing private conversations in your facility may place you at risk of non-compliance with this ruling if reasonable safeguards have not been taken to keep incidental oral disclosures from occurring in the first place.   Speakers are an affordable solution to maintain your patients right to privacy.

 

3.  Does HIPAA prescribe what particular methods may be implemented to protect against incidental oral disclosure?

HIPAA Rules do not prescribe the particular measures that covered entities must take to meet oral privacy standard, because the nature of the required policies and procedures will vary with the size of the covered entity and the type of activities that the covered entity undertakes.

 

The proposed HIPAA Security Standards would require covered entities to safeguard the privacy and integrity of health information. HIPAA requires covered entities to maintain safeguards adequate for their operations, but do not require that specific technologies be used to do so. Safeguards need not be expensive or high-tech to be effective. This requirement is flexible and scalable to allow implementation of required safeguards at a reasonable cost.

 

The Spot Sound Masking speaker is a cost-effective way to maintain adequate safeguards. It provides an electronic white noise masking barrier anywhere privacy is a problem. It can be phased into individual locations without disrupting daily work processes. Installation in ceiling spaces is quick; just remove the ceiling tile and replace it with the masking speaker. Surface mounted wall speakers are also ideal for Pharmacy lines and reception areas. Valcom Spot Sound masking speakers are an affordable solution to maintain your patient's right to privacy.

 

4. What are reasonable patient privacy safeguards outlined in the HIPAA Ruling?

What are reasonable patient privacy safeguards outlined in the HIPAA Ruling?

HHS regulations for safeguards 164.530 (c) requires:

1.  Standard: safeguards . A covered entity must have in place appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect the privacy of protected health information.

2. Implementation specification: safeguards .
   A covered entity must reasonably safeguard protected health information from any intentional or unintentional use or disclosure that is in violation of the standards, implementation specifications or other requirements of this subpart.

A covered entity must reasonably safeguard protected health information to limit incidental uses or disclosures made pursuant to an otherwise permitted or required use or disclosure.

3. Examples of types of adjustments or modifications to facilities or systems that may constitute reasonable safeguards:

• Pharmacies could ask waiting customers to stand a few feet back from a counter used for patient counseling.

• In an area where multiple patient-staff communications routinely occur, use of cubicles, dividers, shields, curtains, or similar barriers may constitute a reasonable safeguard. For example, a large clinic intake area may reasonably use cubicles or shield-type dividers, rather than separate rooms, or providers could add curtains or screens to areas where discussions often occur between doctors and patients or among professionals treating the patient.

 

Using Spot Sound Masking Speakers as an invisible privacy curtain can reduce the risk of overhearing sensitive conversations, and is regarded as a reasonable safeguard in protecting health information from unintentional disclosure.

 

5.  How does patient privacy affect me?  

A covered entity must reasonably safeguard protected health information from any incidental or unintentional use or disclosure that is in violation of the standards, implementation specifications or other requirements of 164.530 (c) (2). Also section 164.5189 (c) requires entities to put in place administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect the privacy of protected health information.

 

If conversations between patients, staff members and doctors are incidentally disclosed in any part of your building, it may compromise patient confidentiality and require you to provide reasonable measures to limit exposure.

 

HIPAA rules are flexible and scalable to allow covered entities to analyze their own needs and implement solutions appropriate for their own environment.

 

Spot Sound Masking speakers provide physical safeguards in minimizing the risk of incidentally disclosing patient information in hallways and other public access areas.  Spot sound masking speakers are both flexible and scalable to provide protection exactly where it is needed.

 

6. Can health care providers engage in confidential conversations with other providers or with patients, even if there is a possibility that they could be overheard?

The HIPAA Privacy Rule is not intended to prohibit providers from talking to each other and to their patients. Provisions of this Rule requiring covered entities to implement reasonable safeguards that reflect their particular circumstances. The Privacy Rule recognizes that oral communications often must occur freely and quickly in treatment settings. Thus, covered entities are free to engage in communications as required for quick, effective, and high quality health care. The Privacy Rule also recognizes that overheard communications in these settings may be unavoidable and allows for these incidental disclosures.

 

The following practices are permissible under the Privacy Rule, if reasonable precautions are taken to minimize the chance of incidental disclosures to others who may be nearby:

• Health care staff may orally coordinate services at hospital nursing stations.

• Nurses or other health care professionals may discuss a patient�s condition over the phone with the patient, a provider, or a family member.

• A health care professional may discuss lab test results with a patient or other provider in a joint treatment area.

• A physician may discuss a patients� condition or treatment regimen in the patient's semi-private room.

In these circumstances, reasonable precautions could include using lowered voices or talking apart from others when sharing protected health information. In an emergency situation, in a loud emergency room, or where a patient is hearing impaired, such precautions may not be practicable.

 

Covered entities are free to engage in communications as required for quick, effective, and high quality health care. In these circumstances Spot Sound Masking augments privacy providing an additional physical layer of privacy protection.

 

7. How does a spot sound masking help in keeping conversations private?

Each speaker uses a white noise generator and amplifier assembly and can be installed in any problem area to mask conversations. White noise is an audio industry standard application that provides a background "SWHOOSH" sound that limits what someone can hear from afar. Wherever a risk area may exist, mount a noise masking speaker in that location.

Valcom's Spot Sound Masking Speakers are  commercial grade speaker systems, that install easily and blend into any d�cor. They provide up to a three hour burn rating when installed in ceiling plenums. Each speaker features a built in level control so that each specific area can be set for maximum coverage.

 

8. How can I keep conversations private in Pharmacy lines and Patient Waiting Areas?

To minimize overheard conversations, place sound masking speaker over Pharmacy counter or reception desk and aim towards seating or standing line area. This will provide privacy safeguards for receptionist or pharmacist when speaking with patients.

 

9.  How can I keep conversations private in Hallways?

To minimize overhearing conversations from staff members and patients in hallways place spot sounding speakers down each corridor. Space ceiling tile speakers at 16 foot centers down the hall. Remember to evaluate if conversations can be heard in the hallway from offices and examining rooms when you are just outside the closed door. When Spot Sound Masking Speakers are located throughout public hallways they will serve to keep things private in offices and examining rooms AND simultaneously protect hallway conversations.

 

10. How can I keep conversations private in offices and examining rooms?

If you can hear conversations from adjoining rooms or through the hallway door or even perhaps through the air vents when air-handling system is idle, you need to install a spot sound masking speaker in each room. Place speaker in center of room. If you can hear office conversations in the hallway with the office door closed, you will need to install masking speakers in the hallway on 16 foot centers.

 

11. How does Spot Sound Masking help improve staff efficiency and better patient communications?

White Noise Sound Masking has been used for the past three decades in commercial office environments and telephone call centers to reduce distracting background noises and improve communications between staff and customers. These sound masking systems are reliable and provide long-term inexpensive operation.

Spot Sound Masking Speakers also provide a more productive workplace free from distractions and provides "Quiet" when your staff and patients need it most. And unlike most conventional sound-masking systems, they are easier to use and don�t require special skills to install.

 

12. Why is Spot Sound masking so cost effective?

Each Spot Sound Masking speaker is a complete white noise sound masking system in a box. No big sound rack full of specialized electronics is required. No sound engineering calculations to make it work properly is necessary. When installing in suspended ceilings, simply remove existing ceiling tile and drop in speaker in the affected area. Surface mounting models simply use wall hanger assembly. Run 1 pair of 18AWG wire and connect  to main power supply. Turn on and  adjust volume level at each speaker. General maintenance personnel are more than qualified to perform Spot Masking speaker installations.

 

Spot Sound Masking treats the problem area not the whole building. It can be easily installed without disrupting staff members during daily operations. If your maintenance personnel can change light bulbs, they can install our Spot Sound Masking Speaker. Our speaker features a three-hour burn rating when installed in suspended ceilings, providing building code compliance in most states.

 

13. What Industry Standards are available to help me measure and understand the level of audibility exposure I may have with oral privacy?

The industry uses three recognized standards for the measurement of the intelligibility of sound (conversations):

• ISO (International Standards Organization)

• ASTM (American National Standards Institute)

• ASTM (American Society of Testing and Materials)

These standards and principles are used by sound engineers to measure and evaluate relative sound levels. This engineering sound performance data provides technical parameters when designing conventional white noise sound masking systems.

You don't need to be a sound engineer to evaluate if you have a problem with oral privacy in your facility. A simple audit and walk-through of any facility will indicate whether there is a problem or not. JUST LISTEN. Your own ear is the best testing and measurement instrument available.

If you can overhear any conversations that are meant to be private in any area you will need to provide reasonable safeguards to protect against incidental disclosure.

Spot Sound Masking is a complete solution. Valcom speakers have been pre-engineered to provide high performance conversation masking in medical and commercial office building applications.

 

14. What else can I do in my facility to minimize oral privacy disclosure?

Many healthcare providers and professionals have have long made it a practice to ensure reasonable safeguards for individual�s health information as common business practice. Some ideas to reduce risk are:

• By speaking quietly when discussing patient�s conditions in treatment rooms and private offices.

• By avoiding conversations in public hallway areas, elevators and waiting rooms.

• By not using patient names in public hallways and posting signs to remind staff members to protect patient confidentiality.

• By asking customers to wait in line 6-7 feet away from pharmacy counters

Spot Sound Masking provides added protection in all situations when doors are accidentally left open, when building construction is poor and you can hear from room to room, and during busy times and emergencies when people talk louder. Spot Sound Masking complements any oral privacy plan initiated by the entity privacy officer.

 

15. When doing my own installation, how can I get help determining how many Spot Sound Masking Speakers I need for my particular project situation?

Valcom's Spot Sound Masking sound experts are available to help answer any questions you may have. If you have a large or complex job we will do the layout and engineering. There is no charge when helping our customers determine what sound masking options are best to comply with HIPAA patient privacy safeguards.  Call us at 1-800-VALCOM1.

 

16. Can Valcom arrange for a complete installation of Spot Sound Masking in my offices?

Call us at 1-800-VALCOM1.

We will be glad to arrange for a local Valcom partner to help you evaluate your needs and help you better protect patient privacy with Spot Sound Masking Valcom solutions. These companies will provide you with local installation, system design and other loudspeaker paging services when required.

 

17. How many speakers will a VP-324 power supply support?

Up to 12 sound masking speakers may be powered by each VP-324 power supply.

 

18. How can I make Pharmacy customer waiting areas more private?

Ask waiting customers to stand back 6-7 feet from counter. Establish a waiting line barrier line by placing tape on the floor and post sign saying �Please wait here�. Valcom's surface mounted masking speaker is ideally suited to provide direct field masking coverage of those customers standing in line who might incidentally overhear Pharmacist dialog with served patient. Simply install wall mounted masking speaker over the counter valance and aim towards waiting line.

 

19. What kind of wire do I use to hook up speakers to the VP-324 power supply?

Valcom provides 50 feet of hookup wire with each masking speaker assembly. If more wire is needed, use any 1 pair cable that is rated for plenum ceiling installation