A facility expands remote inpatient coding. Which practice best aligns with HIPAA safeguards for remote HIM work?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
Remote coding still means hospital PHI on the screen. Use the approved secure tunnel, shield the monitor, and lock the session—not open Wi-Fi and sticky-note passwords. Home office is still a HIPAA zone.
Full Explanation
Remote coding workflows must implement administrative, physical, and technical safeguards comparable in purpose to on-site protections. Approved VPN or secure access, unique credentials, automatic lock, and visual privacy reduce unauthorized PHI exposure. Convenience practices such as public Wi-Fi without protections, shared passwords, or unattended logged-in sessions increase breach risk.