PDX Signature Capture:
Helping Pharmacy Become HIPAA-Compliant

In keeping with its commitment to provide customers with the timely technology they need, PDX released software to help them become HIPAA*-compliant. Effective with version 4.6.01—released in October 2002—the PDX Pharmacy System features signature capture technology and supports signature capture devices.

These enhancements resolve the issues of

• displaying the Notice of Privacy Practices and Authorizations to pharmacy customers for review
• obtaining patients’ written Acknowledgement of Notice and signed Authorizations
• providing signed copies of Authorizations to customers, and
• storing these required documents long-term so that they are readily retrievable

How does it work? At the time of prescription pick-up the Pharmacy System automatically indicates to your staff which HIPAA documents your customers need to sign and automatically displays the appropriate documents for the patients' review. Once the customer provides the electronic signature, you

• are HIPAA-compliant with regard to patient signatures for the required HIPAA documents
• can print signed copies of all authorizations for the patient
• can create on-demand reports and audits indicating your HIPAA-compliance

For more information on PDX Signature Capture and how it can help you become HIPAA-compliant, contact our sales and marketing team by email or at 1.800.433.5719.111

* BACKGROUND: HIPAA Privacy Regulations—the second set of regulations required under the Administrative Simplification section of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996—have a mandatory compliance date of April 14, 2003. The first set of regulations, Transaction and Code Sets rules, was provided with up to a 1–year delay by House of Representatives Bill 3323, which became Pub. Law 107–105 when signed by President George W. Bush. The Congress, in this bill, decided not to provide a delay for the Privacy regulations. Although published in the Federal Register on December 28, 2000 and effective on February 26, 2001, the Privacy Regulations have a final compliance date of April 14, 2003 for most covered entities. The August 14, 2002 modifications to these rules, or the final-final rules, becomes effective on October 15, 2002 and did not change the final compliance date. Therefore Insurance Plans, Health Care Clearinghouses and Treatment Providers, including pharmacies, must complete the provisions of these regulations by this final compliance date to avoid violations of this Act.