What should a privacy officer do after identifying a deficiency in the Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP)?

After identifying a deficiency in the Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP), the privacy officer’s primary responsibility is to ensure compliance with applicable privacy regulations, particularly those established by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Distributing the new NPP to new patients is vital, as it ensures that they are informed of their rights and the organization’s privacy practices at the time of care. New patients should be provided with the most current version of the NPP to ensure they are aware of how their health information will be used and disclosed.

By distributing the new NPP to new patients, the organization is actively taking steps to rectify the deficiency and ensure ongoing compliance with privacy standards. This action also helps in maintaining trust and transparency with patients in regard to their personal health information.

While other options may have relevance in different contexts, they do not prioritize the immediate need to inform new patients of their privacy rights upon their entry into the healthcare system, which is critical in upholding the principles outlined in the NPP.