Glossary of Compliance

Compliance Glossary

Our list of curated compliance glossary offers everything you to know about compliance in one place.

Glossary » HIPAA » HIPAA Sanctions

HIPAA Sanctions

HIPAA mandates the implementation of sanctions for policy violations within covered entities. This policy focuses on employee sanctions for HIPAA violations by emphasizing the importance of safeguarding patients’ PHI. Key policy components include:

  • Unauthorized PHI access
  • Improper PHI disclosure
  • Severity levels for each violation
  • Failure to protect PHI
  • Disciplinary actions (e.g., verbal/written warnings, termination, legal action)

Violating HIPAA regulations can lead to penalties ranging from $100 to $250,000 and prison terms of 1 to 10 years. Consistent enforcement is crucial. This policy fosters a culture of compliance and ensures staff take HIPAA seriously. Regardless of size, all healthcare practices must maintain an up-to-date sanctions policy to safeguard PHI and prevent costly breaches.

Exceptions to sanctions

This policy also outlines exceptions where sanctions will not be applied to employees or business associates. These exceptions are:

  • Engaging in whistleblower activities
  • Submitting a complaint to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services
  • Participation in an investigation
  • Registering opposition to a violation of this HIPAA Sanction Policy

Also read: An Ultimate Guide To HIPAA Violation

Additional reading

Zero-Days Don’t Wait For Patches; And Neither Should You

Hackers don’t stumble into systems; they’re deliberate, calculating, and patient. They look for weak spots: the misconfigured firewall, the unpatched vulnerability, or the employee who unknowingly clicks on a carefully disguised email. And once they’re in, it’s rarely a smash-and-grab. They move silently, escalating privileges, mapping out networks, and embedding themselves deeper before launching their…

SOC 2 Exceptions: What They Mean & How to Handle Them

In Accenture’s 2024 Risk Study, 27% of risk leaders flagged compliance as an urgent concern, and 44% admitted to struggling with risk visibility before audits. One area where these challenges often come to light is during SOC 2 audits, where even minor gaps in risk management and controls can lead to exceptions. These exceptions refer…

NIST Password Guidelines: 11 Rules to Follow (Latest Version Updated)

Passwords have always been a contentious topic within the cybersecurity world and among everyday users. No one enjoys understanding the complex rules or changing passwords regularly just because the calendar says so.  Over the years, these frustrating requirements have led to poor password practices like sticky notes, password123, or reusing the same login across platforms….

Sprinto: Your growth superpower

Use Sprinto to centralize security compliance management – so nothing
gets in the way of your moving up and winning big.

Contact sales