Hipaa

US Congress created the HIPAA bill in 1996 because of public concern about how their private information was being used. It is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which Congress created to protect confidentiality, privacy and security of patient information. It was also for health care documents to be passed electronically. HIPAA is a privacy rule, which gives patients control over their health information. Patients have to give permission any health care provider can disclose any information placed in the individual’s medical records. It helps limit protected health information (PHI) to minimize the chance of inappropriate disclosure. It establishes national-level standards that healthcare providers must comply with and strictly investigates compliance related issues while holding violators to civil or criminal penalties if they violate the privacy of a person’s PHI. HIPAA also has boundaries for using and disclosing health records by covered entities; a healthcare provider, health plan, and health care clearinghouse. It also supports the cause of disclosing PHI without a person’s consent for individual healthcare needs, public benefit and national interests. The portability part of HIPAA guarantees patient’s health insurance to employees after losing a job, making sure health insurance providers can’t discriminate against people because of health status or pre-existing condition, and keeps their files safe while being sent electronically. The Privacy Rule protects individual’s health information and requires medical providers to get consent for the release of any medical information and explain how private health records are protected. It also allows patients to receive their medical records from any...

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...vacy screen on the computer and/or turning the computer away so customers cannot see what’s on the screen, and use a secure network to receive new prescriptions or request refills. A patient must be notified and give authorization to allow a list of their drugs be given to a marketing company. The authorization must say what the data disclosure and use is being planned for and the date when the authorization will expire. In a community practice a pharmacist cannot discuss treatment with anyone unless patient signs authorization. In an institutional practice the patient can call the pharmacist and give permission to talk to a doctor if able to speak. In case of an emergency, such as a heart attack or car accident, the doctor can call the pharmacist to get the information without patient consent. A patient must give a written authorization in a community pharmacy.