Health professionals in the United States are well aware of the need to stay compliant with HIPAA. The news regularly delivers reports of huge fines levied by OCR for failure to protect information properly. Not everyone, though, is fully aware of the scope of its requirements.

Mistakes, even innocent ones, can lead to serious consequences. A New Jersey psychologist was accused of violating patients' privacy because he sent unredacted bills to a collection agency. What would be a normal business practice for an automobile repair shop or a utility company may be strictly forbidden under HIPAA.