Have you experienced any HIPAA violations with peers?

None of the peer programs that the peer education training sites work with has experienced any HIPAA violations. However, maintaining confidentiality and protecting the privacy of health information is a responsibility of peers just as it is a responsibility of all health care workers. Peers, especially those with no experience working in a health care setting, may not be as familiar with these concepts, and the practices needed to implement these concepts, as their co-workers and colleagues. In addition, the unique nature of peer work–that is, that the peer is from the community he/she serves– may place the peer in difficult and confusing situations related to confidentiality. It is very important that peers receive training around these issues prior to working with clients.

More information:

• Read More: Confidentiality and Peers (PDF), in the Recruiting, Hiring and Orienting Peers section of the Building Blocks to Peer Program Success toolkit for developing HIV peer programs

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