As many as nine million Americans have their identity stolen each year. In response to the rapid rise of identity fraud and theft, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) passed the Red Flags Rule. Effective May 1, 2009, the Red Flags Rule requires all covered entities, including healthcare providers, to implement an identity theft prevention program that is designed to detect, prevent and mitigate identity theft. The rule emphasizes staff training as a mandatory requirement. HealthStream’s Identity Theft and the Red Flags Rule courseware is uniquely designed for healthcare employees and teaches staff how to detect and respond to red flags that indicate possible identity theft among people presenting as patients seeking care. HealthStream’s Identity Theft and the Red Flags Rule courseware is one way your organization can train staff to recognize and prevent identity theft and fraud. In turn, it also will help you reduce risk from treating patients whose identity is fraudulent, save time spent in treatment mistakes made due to fraud, save money in terms of avoiding fines and the cost of unreimbursed care, and remain compliant with Federal requirements for identity confirmation.