HIPAA's Role in Protecting Patient Privacy

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Health information opponents has question the delivery and handling of patients electronic health records by health care organization and workers. The laws and regulations that set the framework protecting a user’s health information has become a major factor in how information is used and disclosed. The ability to share a patient document using Electronic Health Records (EHRs) is a critical component in the United States effort to show transparency and quality of healthcare records while protecting patient privacy. In 1996, under President Clinton administration, the US “Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)” established national standards for the safeguard of certain health information. As a result, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 or (HIPAA) was established. HIPAA security standards required healthcare providers to ensure confidentiality and integrity of individual health information. This also included insurance administration and insurance portability. According to Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), an organization must guarantee the integrity, confidentiality, and security of sensitive patient data (Heckle & Lutters, 2011). Healthcare providers have had their doubts if the HIPAA mandate would ever be achieved. Opponents question how would this act be enforced, what are the requirements, and how could this act improve the transmission of health care information? HIPAA features: HIPAA introduced a Privacy Program” that required covered entities, assign a privacy official to develop and implement policies for protecting privacy, handling question and complaints (Solove, 2013). 2nd HIPAA enacted “Limits on Disclosure and Use” requiring custom... ... middle of paper ... ...the information. “The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health” or (HITECH) Act, was decreed as part of the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” of 2009 (ARRA). ARRA provided incentives intended for providers to accelerate their adoption of electronic health record systems. Government expects an influx in the exchange of the electronic protected health information. (ePHI) HITECH Act expands the scope of privacy and security protection available under HIPAA. HITECH Act imposed stiff fines and penalties on those providers that are noncompliant with protecting electronic documents. Civil penalties that are levied against providers can received a maximum penalty of 1,5 million dollars. Even though many opponents complain, HIPAA has provided security protection and benefits for consumers through better access to value care.

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