Week 6 Essay Electronic Health Records

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Bryant and Stratton College, Buffalo *

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Information Systems

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Dec 6, 2023

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Electronic Health Records Week 6 Essay The HIPAA or Health Insurance and Accountability Act is a federal act that is legally required to protect sensitive information related to patients. For carrying out this protection, the HIPAA Act created several national standards under the HIPAA privacy rule. These standards talk about a person’s right to understand and control the usage of their health information. It also introduces situations where health information about the patient can be used without their authorization for the sake of healthcare and patient safety. The entities covered under HIPAA are required to ensure that all patient related information is available and integrated, but confidential and that no impermissible uses or disclosures of this information are taking place. The anticipated threat regarding the security of this data should be detected and safeguarded. Compliance should be certified within the workforce. For ensuring these, different technologies, physical processes, and policies should be developed. Under HIPAA, releasing an individual’s protected health information (PHI) requires following specific guidelines to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of the information. The process for releasing information can only be done with the individual’s written authorization or in specific circumstances outlined by HIPAA. To release PHI the covered entity must obtain written authorization from the individual that clearly states what information is being released, who will receive it, and why it is being released. The covered entity must also inform the individual that they have the right to revoke the authorization at any time. There are specific situations where PHI can be released without written permission, such as for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. However, covered entities must follow strict guidelines and procedures when releasing PHI without authorization to ensure that the minimum necessary information is released. Failure to follow the proper techniques for releasing information can result in severe consequences for covered entities. In some cases, HIPAA violations can lead to hefty fines, loss of reputation, and even criminal charges. Fines from $100 to $50,000 per violation can be issued, depending on the severity of the violation, with a maximum annual penalty of $1.5 million per violation category covered entities can also force adverse publicity and loss of trust from patients, which can impact their business in the long term. Overall, covered entities must follow the proper techniques for releasing PHI to protect the privacy and confidentiality of individual’s health information and avoid severe consequences for HIPAA violations. When thereis a violation of HIPAA, the covered entity needs to take proper action to handle the issue; the first step is to contact the organization’s privacy officer or security officer, who will investigate the matter and determine if a breach has occurred. If a breach is confirmed, the covered entity must notify the individual, the department of health and human services, and in some cases, the media. The privacy officer is responsible for ensuring that the covered entity complies with HIPAA privacy rule requirements. As such, both officers should be well-versed in HIPAA regulations and understand their duties in handling violations.
Additionally, if an employee witnesses or suspects a violation of HIPAA, as appropriate. Employees are obligated to report violations, and covered entities should have policies and procedures that encourage and make reporting easier. To know more about HIPPA laws and regulations go to the Office of Civil Rights website.
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