I work in the compliance department for a large Health Insurance company that provides claims processing and customer service under Government contracts. Several years ago, the HIPAA expert retired and I was assigned to take over her duties of Security and Privacy. This includes HIPAA, HITECH, Privacy Act, and NIST certification. Unfortunately, I was not given any training before the person left, so I spent a lot of time reading regulations and following guidance from our Government partners, but I never really felt confident in my Privacy and Security knowledge. I was self-taught and never had a good background understanding of the regulations and how they worked together. Whenever I received questions or was asked for guidance I spent a great deal of time looking up and reading through the regulations to make sure I was giving out accurate information.
I knew that I needed to improve my knowledge so I signed up for the CHSE (Certified HIPAA Security Expert) training through the Supremus Group LLC. Because I had some HIPAA Security knowledge I thought it would just be a good overview and would enhance what I already knew. I wasn’t prepared for how difficult the course was, but in the long run, that was really a good thing. Having completed the course and passed the exam I was extremely confident in my HIPAA Security knowledge. It also gave me a deep background of how HIPAA came into being and how it has evolved over the years. I now have a better understanding of the need for a security plan to identify our weaknesses and where improvements are needed. I have been able to use my knowledge to actively participate in discussions on Security requirements and how our company is meeting these requirements. I am much more confident in the guidance I provide to my company.
Because I had learned so much in the Security course I decided I should also sign up for the CHPE (Certified 
HIPAA Privacy Expert). This was also a difficult course but this time I expected it. Again, once I completed the course and passed the exam I felt extremely confident in my HIPAA Privacy knowledge. I use this knowledge every day by helping our workforce be aware of the Privacy concerns of our beneficiaries and their families. The company has improved our HIPAA training based on the information I am able to share from my training. We are now doing HIPAA training every quarter and we base the training on questions we have received and problems we have identified. The training now reflects real-life situations we have encountered and therefore more relatable to the employees. I’ve had many people tell me that they enjoy the training because I make it simple and easy to understand. I’m able to do this because I have a complete understanding of the Security and Privacy rules.
I really appreciated the Supremus Group staff who answered my questions and helped with the technical problems I encountered. They are generous with their time and help.
I have recommended these courses, which also include the CHPSE, to many of my colleagues and government contacts. I highly recommend these courses to anyone who works in the Health Insurance or Health Care industries if they need a comprehensive understanding of the HIPAA rules and regulations.
Debra Bougneit
Sr. Contract Administrator