HIPAA and Confidentiality

what does HIPAA stand for?

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

HIPAA was created to bring a balance between...

improving flow of information and protecting the privacy of patients

when was HIPAA signed into law?

1996

during what administration was HIPAA signed into law?

Clinton administration

what was the original intention of HIPAA?

to ensure that employees wouldn't lose their health insurance if they changed jobs

what is the privacy rule?

protects the Personal Health Information (PHI) and the medical records of individuals

what is the security rule?

requires physicians to protect patients' electronically stored PHI by using appropriate safeguards.

what is the transaction rule?

regulates how data is electronically transferred from one computer to another; defines the types of electronic transactions subject to HIPAA

what is the identifiers rule?

requires all healthcare entities to have a unique 10 digit national provider identifier number

what is the enforcement rule?

establishes guidelines for investigations into HIPAA compliance violations

what is PHI?

protected health information that appears in medical records as well as conversations between doctors and nurses regarding patient treatment

where can PHI be found?

medical documents and forms, records of communication, prescriptions, doctor or clinic appointments, blood tests, MRI or x-ray results, or billing info

what is the "Need to Know Principle"?

healthcare professionals shouldn't use or disclose PHI when it isn't necessary for a specific purpose or function

true or false: patients have the right to receive a copy of an agency's private practices

true

patients have the right to...

know that an agency will use its PHI only for treatment, payment, operations, and certain other permitted uses as required by law

True or false: patients do not have the right to control the use and disclosure of their PHI

false

Can patients request amendment or addendum to their PHI?

yes

what can patients receive regarding their PHI?

they can receive records of disclosure (times when PHI was given out)

Can a patient file a privacy complaint to an agency officer?

yes