Course and certificate
HIPAA Awareness Training for Healthcare Workforce
For anyone who works with patient information in a US hospital, clinic, practice, pharmacy or business associate. Eight lessons in plain English cover who HIPAA applies to, PHI, the Privacy, Security and Breach Notification Rules, everyday scenarios, penalties and how to report incidents, followed by a 25-question test.
- Jurisdiction
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Languages
- English, Español, Português
- Lessons
- 8
- Time needed
- About 55 minutes for the lessons and the test
- Assessment
- 25 questions, pass mark 80%
- Refresher
- Recommended after 1 year
- Content updated
- October 26, 2026
- Certificate fee
- $19.00, payable after passing
01Who this course is for
- Nurses, medical assistants and other clinical staff
- Front desk, scheduling and billing staff
- Dental, pharmacy, clinic and home health staff
- Business associates such as IT, billing and transcription contractors
- New hires, volunteers and trainees, and anyone due for an annual refresher
02Syllabus
- 01What HIPAA is and who it applies to
- 02PHI, ePHI and de-identified information
- 03The Privacy Rule: uses, disclosures and minimum necessary
- 04Patient rights under the Privacy Rule
- 05The Security Rule: protecting electronic information
- 06Everyday privacy: scenarios at work
- 07Breaches and the Breach Notification Rule
- 08Enforcement, penalties and reporting incidents
03Assessment
25 multiple-choice questions drawn from the whole course. The pass mark is 80%. The test is free and can be retaken as often as needed; wrong answers point to the lesson to read again.
04The certificate
- With your name, your score and the date you passed.
- A unique number, recorded in our register.
- Your employer or an inspector scans it to see that it is genuine.
- Download it, print it or show it on your phone.
05Sources
The course follows the published guidance below. We are not affiliated with the bodies that publish it.
- HHS — Summary of the HIPAA Privacy Rule
- HHS — Summary of the HIPAA Security Rule
- 45 CFR 164.530 — Administrative requirements
- HHS — Breach Notification Rule
- 45 CFR 160.103 — Definitions
- HHS — Guidance Regarding Methods for De-identification of PHI
06Questions
Is HIPAA training required?
Yes. The HIPAA Privacy Rule requires covered entities to train every member of their workforce — including volunteers and trainees — on their privacy policies and procedures, and the Security Rule requires a security awareness program. The law does not name a particular course, certificate or training provider.
Is this a HIPAA certification?
No. There is no government-issued or government-recognized HIPAA certification for individuals. This is a certificate of completion: it shows you finished the course and passed its test. Your employer decides whether it meets their training requirements, and it does not replace their training on their own policies and procedures.
How long does it take?
Most people finish the lessons and the test in about an hour. You can stop and come back at any time on the same device.
What if I fail the test?
Nothing is charged. You see which lessons to read again and can retake the test as often as you need, free of charge.
When do I pay, and how much?
Only after you pass: $19 for the certificate. The course and the test are free.
How does my employer check the certificate?
Every certificate has a number and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the number on our check page, shows your name, the course and the date you passed.
How often do I need to retake HIPAA training?
The law does not set a fixed schedule, but it requires training for new workforce members and after material policy changes, and an annual refresher is common practice. The certificate shows a renewal date 12 months after you pass.
The certificate confirms that you completed this course and passed its test. It is not a regulated or accredited qualification; your employer decides whether this training meets their requirements.