Consequences for HIPAA violations can often be quite harsh. If someone has breached the HIPAA privacy regulations – even without any malicious intent, civil penalties are applicable: $100 per violation for unawareness, a minimum of $1,000 for reasonable cause, a minimum of $10,000 if willful neglect is present and then rectified, and finally, a minimum of $50,000 for individuals who act with willful neglect and ignore the issue.
| Digital ExclusiveCrystal Ford, DACM, LAc
Dr. Crystal Ford is the owner of Deschutes Acupuncture in Bend, Ore. For more information or assistance implementing curbside acupuncture, contact her at deschutesacupuncture.com. (As of press time, Dr. Ford was poised to post a video to her site for acupuncturists interested in learning more about this service.) You can also view photos of curbside acupuncture in action on her Instagram page:  www.instagram.com/deschutes.acupuncture/.