For those readers struggling with HIPAA compliance, a HIPAA security risk assessment (SRA) tool was recently made available through HHS. The tool was developed as a collaborative effort between the HHS Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), the HHS Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and the HHS Office of General Counsel (OGC). This SRA tool is intended to help guide health care providers in small and medium sized offices to conduct the risk assessment required under HIPAA. Such an assessment assists health care providers in identifying areas of vulnerability and weakness so that necessary improvements in security can be made. The HHS Press Release and the ONC Press Release each contain hyperlinks to the SRA tool, which is available for Windows and iOS iPAD. While use of this specific tool is not a requirement under HIPAA, the SRA tool provides a very good option for small and medium sized providers to utilize in promoting compliance with HIPAA security.
Paul J. Welk
Paul is chair of Tucker Arensberg Attorneys Health Law/Health Information Technology Industry Group and focuses his practice on corporate and healthcare law. In this capacity, he represents physical therapists, physicians, dentists, not-for-profit organizations, professional organizations and other business corporations and entities.
Some of the recent transactions and clients he has worked on include the representation of:
- Multiple state physical therapy professional associations on a variety of issues
- Multiple physical therapy private practices with development and implementation of ownership succession plans
- A venture capital company with the $13 million dollar stock acquisition of a target company
- Multiple physical therapy providers in successful third party payer appeals
- Multiple buyers of the assets and associated real estate of dental practices
- Multiple physical therapy providers regarding the transfer of partial ownership interests and the negotiation of governance and shareholder documents
- Multiple physical therapy providers with asset and stock acquisitions and divestitures
- A manufacturing company with the successful negotiation of a shareholder dispute and stock purchase
- A service provider with negotiation of a $5 million annual service contract
- A publicly traded company regarding the merger of two wholly owned subsidiaries
- Two publicly traded companies regarding the ongoing review of distribution, supply and service contracts
- A seller of a skilled nursing facility and related real estate
- Multiple regional rehabilitation provider networks on a variety of issues, including formation and ongoing operations
- A large physician practice in its sale to a health system
Areas of Practice: Business and corporate law, health law, mergers and acquisitions
Articles and Presentations: Paul regularly lectures and writes on topics related to business and healthcare law and is the founding author of Legal Impact, a regular column in the American Physical Therapy Association Private Practice Section’s Impact Magazine.
Memberships and Activities: Paul is a member of the American and Pennsylvania Physical Therapy Associations and past Chair of the American Physical Therapy Association Committee on Risk Management and Member Benefits. He is also a member of the Bloomsburg Medical Supply Ethics Committee, the Duquesne University School of Physical Therapy Advisory Board, the Pennsylvania Bar Association, and the American Health Lawyers Association. He is an adjunct instructor at the St. Francis University School of Physical Therapy and a licensed physical therapist in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Jurisdictions: Paul is licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania.
Education and Background: Paul received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Physical Therapy degrees with honors from Duquesne University and his law degree with honors from the University of Pittsburgh. He served as associate editor of the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Law Journal of Law and Commerce and received the CALI Excellence for the Future and Esther F. Teplitz Awards for academic performance in the health law curriculum. Paul is a graduate of the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Law’s Health Law Certificate Program.
Latest posts by Paul J. Welk (see all)
- Phase 2 of HIPAA Audits Underway - March 25, 2016
- Websites and The Americans With Disabilities Act – An Often Unrecognized Risk - March 14, 2016
- HHS Publishes Guidance on Patient Access to Records under HIPAA - February 2, 2016
- Provider of Physical, Speech, and Occupational Therapy Services Agrees to $38,000,000 False Claims Act Settlement - November 12, 2014
- A Free Ride To PT – What’s The Risk? - October 15, 2014