Privacy remains a priority.

For CPAs, privacy concerns provide a practice development opportunity.

"As entities improve their approach to privacy, many will turn to CPAs for help in implemjenting effective programs."

As business processes become more complex and sophisticated, more and more personal information is being collected and used. As a result, the privacy of personal information has become more vulnerable and is an increasingly critical concern for entities of all sizes, the government, and the public in general. With identity theft on the rise, and fears of financial and other types of records being accessed inappropriately, the number of challenges related to the protection of personal information is steadily increasing.

Customers more than ever want assurance that the personal information they provide to entities is not abused. As entities move to improve their approach to privacy, many will turn to CPAs as trusted business advisers, for help in implementing effective privacy programs.

As public concern with business privacy policies continues to gain importance, most CPA firms, as well as their clients, must comply with privacy requirements, such as those imposed on financial institutions by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and on health care providers by the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPPA). Furthermore, in a recent BusinessWeek article ("Privacy: What CEOs Need to Know," April 13, 2004), Jane Black cited the prediction of Brian Tetrick, Ernst & Young's head of privacy-related services, that the Sarbanes-Oxley Act's requirement that CEOs and chief financial officers certify that their financial houses are in order could be applied to data privacy and security.

Providing privacy services is a beneficial investment. CPAs are in a unique position to examine privacy practices, help manage entities' privacy risk, and help turn sound privacy practices into a marketplace advantage.

A privacy practice resource

In response to requirements--and demands--for privacy protection, the AICPA is issuing Understanding and Implementing Privacy Services: A CPA's Resource, a complete reference of practical, results-oriented procedures, controls, methods, and tools for providing value-added privacy services for all types and sizes of entities.

Owning this reference means having the most up-to-date compilation of privacy tools available. The CPAs who helped to research, write, and prepare this book include both those with industry operations responsibility...