Untitled Flashcards Set

Privileged  Health Information (PHI)

All information concerning patients is PHI.

By law, it must be kept confidential and shared only with other members of the health care team.  It can only be released to others with written consent.

All medical records (patient charts) are

    legal documents.

You can not erase anything in a

 patient’s chart.  Mark one line 

 through any mistakes.

Births and deaths (filed with state registrar)

Emergencies

Injuries caused by violence

Threats of serious bodily harm to another

 Child abuse (physical/sexual)*

Vehicular accidents involving drug/alcohol

*The FederalChild Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act requires the reporting of child abuse.

Federal guidelines established by the Department of

Health and Human Services:

1. Privacy Rule:  regulates the use and sharing of individually identifiable health care information

2.  Security Rule: mandates safeguards to maintain the privacy of individually identifiable electronic health care information

Applies to health insurance companies, billing companies, and health care providers

Failure to comply with HIPAA rules can result in criminal or civil penalties

Allows patients to examine and obtain a copy of their records

The patient can make a special request to be called for appointment reminders or to discuss treatment at a certain telephone number

The health care provider must be careful to keep information left on voicemail to a minimum

The pharmacist can talk to you over the counter about your medication, but must take care that others cannot overhear the conversation

Medical files must be left outside the examining room, but should be turned facing the wall

 The American Hospital Association has identified factors of care that a patient can expect to receive:

Considerate and respectful care

Obtain complete, current info concerning diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis

Receive info necessary to give informed consent

Refuse treatment to the extent of the law

Confidentiality

Reasonable response to a request for services

Obtain info regarding relationship of hospital to other institutions

Right to refuse to participate in any research project

Expect reasonable continuity of care

Be allowed to review medical bills

Be informed of hospital rules and methods available to resolve grievances