Healthcare Privacy Officer Job Description Template

According to the Healthcare Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), any healthcare organization that electronically transmits health information must designate a healthcare privacy officer. Also known as a HIPAA compliance officer or chief privacy officer (CPO), this individual is responsible for overseeing compliance with privacy laws that protect sensitive health information.

A CPO plays a vital role in ensuring compliance with federal regulations and maintaining the trust of patients or residents in your healthcare facility. Candidates must be uniquely qualified to carry out the job duties — which makes it essential to attract individuals fit for the role with a well-written privacy officer job description.

Finding the right fit for your organization starts with attracting top talent. Use this template to create your next CPO job posting.

Healthcare Privacy Officer

Tips: Start your privacy compliance officer job description with a brief overview of the role. This allows potential candidates to get a clear expectation of the role early on — and get a glimpse of what it’s like to work at your company. Be sure to highlight some of the more exciting and unique aspects of working at your healthcare organization.

Template:

A healthcare compliance officer (HCO) plays an essential role in hospital staff compliance with privacy and security regulations. This individual is responsible for HIPAA compliance program development, implementation, and ongoing improvement. An ideal candidate is a self-starter with previous leadership experience and proven success in large healthcare organizations. When you join Mercy Healthcare, you’ll be part of a team that’s paving the way in healthcare innovation and building a culture of excellence organization-wide.

Benefits

Tips: A healthcare compliance officer helps your organization avoid legal and financial consequences resulting from privacy breaches. Their services are invaluable — so show them what they get in exchange for their contributions to your organization. Which benefits set your company apart from others?

Template:

• Vision, dental, and health insurance
• 401(k) matching
• Monthly health and wellness stipend
• Commuter benefits
• Paid holidays
• Flexible PTO
• Employee benefits discount program

Healthcare Privacy Officer Duties and Responsibilities

Tips: Healthcare compliance officers play a crucial role in maintaining trust between healthcare providers and patients. The specific responsibilities and reporting structure for CPOs can vary from one healthcare organization to another, but the overarching goal is to safeguard protected health information (PHI). This includes developing policies, procedures, and training programs, and conducting compliance audits.

Template:

In collaboration with the hospital’s IT and legal departments, the HCO is responsible for overseeing staff HIPAA compliance. The HCO’s duties include, but aren’t limited to:

• Overseeing the security of electronic health records (EHRs) and other healthcare data systems
• Creating HIPAA policy and procedure guides covering the use of disclosure and handling of protected health information
• Developing, implementing, and maintaining privacy policies and procedures that adhere to federal and state regulations
• Ensuring staff receives annual HIPAA training
• Performing routine compliance audits
• Conducting regular risk assessments to identify potential vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the organization’s privacy and security practices
• Addressing risks and implementing safeguards accordingly
• Investigating privacy breaches or incidents involving the unauthorized access, use, or disclosure of patient information
• Reporting breaches to relevant authorities and affected individuals
• Staying updated on the latest data security laws
• Ensuring vendor or third-party compliance

Compensation and Hours

Tips: In this section of the chief privacy officer job description, include details about the compensation and schedule that would be helpful for a potential candidate to know. Being upfront about salary early on helps prevent misunderstandings about compensation later in the hiring process.

Template:

• 40 hours per week
• Starting salary $210,000 with adjustments based on years of experience and education

Qualifications and Skills

Tips: This section is meant to clarify the privacy officer requirements, including the education and professional background a desired candidate should have. Be sure to specify which aspects are required vs. preferred so that candidates with fitting qualifications are encouraged to apply.

Template:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in information security, computer science, or a related field
• Minimum 5-10 years of healthcare compliance experience
• Previous senior management role preferred
• Experience with security and compliance frameworks
• Advanced understanding of data security systems, software, and operating systems
• Proven track record of managing multiple compliance programs simultaneously
• Demonstrated leadership in a healthcare organization

Call to Action

Tips: You’ve captured the potential candidate’s interest by describing what they can look forward to by joining your company. In this part of the privacy officer job description, encourage them to take action. Provide instructions on how to apply and any requirements, such as references or cover letters, that should be included.

Template:

Ready to join a healthcare organization making an impact on thousands of patients from around the world every day? Apply today using the link below.

Build Your Team With IntelyCare

Now that you’ve put together a HIPAA privacy officer job description, the next step is finding qualified candidates for the position — but where do you start? Allow IntelyCare to connect you with healthcare professionals and build your all-star team today.