HIPAA violations are reported by documenting the facts, notifying the organization through its designated compliance reporting channel or privacy or security official, and submitting a complaint to the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights when the matter involves a HIPAA Covered Entity or Business Associate and the reporter seeks external review. A report should capture dates, the type of protected health information involved, the systems or locations affected, the people involved if known, and any available supporting records such as emails, screenshots, access logs, or incident ticket numbers. Workforce reports should follow internal escalation procedures so the organization can contain the issue, preserve evidence, and begin an investigation. Retaliation against a person for reporting a concern is prohibited under HIPAA requirements.
External reporting to the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights is completed through the OCR Complaint Portal or by submitting a written complaint by mail, fax, or email. Complaints are expected within 180 days of when the reporter knew of the act or omission, with limited circumstances for extension based on good cause. A complaint should identify the HIPAA Covered Entity or Business Associate and describe the acts or omissions believed to violate the HIPAA Privacy Rule, HIPAA Security Rule, or HIPAA Breach Notification Rule. Reporters can submit supporting documentation that clarifies what occurred and how protected health information may have been used, disclosed, accessed, or exposed.
After a report is received, the organization should triage the issue as a privacy incident, security incident, or potential breach and apply a documented investigation workflow. Investigation steps include confirming the scope of protected health information involved, determining whether an impermissible use or disclosure occurred, evaluating safeguards and access controls, and completing a breach risk assessment when unsecured protected health information is involved. If a breach is confirmed, the organization must follow the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule notification requirements and retain documentation of the decision process, notifications, and corrective actions. Corrective actions include remediation of access controls, updates to policies and procedures, workforce sanctions when warranted, and verification that safeguards operate as required.
HIPAA staff training supports effective reporting by establishing a rules-and-regulations foundation for handling protected health information before staff apply internal policies and procedures for incident reporting and response. All workforce members must receive HIPAA staff training if they have access to protected health information. HIPAA staff training should cover the HIPAA Privacy Rule, HIPAA Security Rule, and HIPAA Breach Notification Rule, including how to recognize impermissible uses and disclosures, how to safeguard electronic protected health information, and how to report suspected incidents through internal channels without delaying escalation. Training completion must be documented and retained as compliance evidence, including onboarding completion and refresher completion dates. Annual HIPAA staff training is an industry best practice and supports consistent reporting and escalation when workforce composition, systems, or vendor relationships change. The HIPAA Journal Training is online, comprehensive, and suitable for onboarding and annual refresher training.