How Medical Information About You May Be Used And Disclosed

In the health care business, there are certain standards and laws that have been put in place to protect our patients and their personal health information. When a health care facility fails to protect their patient’s confidential information, the US Government may get involved and facilities may be forced to pay huge sums of money in fines, and risk damaging their reputation.

Health information is an important source of information and evidence when the services provided are communicated in legal and professional documentation. It is a documentation which is a legal requirement and a record of the beneficiary’ care as well as a communication vehicle between other disciplines and providers. It not only ensures the services provided to individuals but is a crucial tool to support reimbursement of services and a basis for research. Incomplete and improper documentation potentially may lead into a denial of payment for services as well as question’s the quality of care provided.

The following pieces of individually identifiably information when linked with health or medical information constitute PHI ( 45 CFR 164.514)

Describe the responsibility of the medical office specialist to protect all protected health information (PHI).

The protected health information (PHI) that does not require consent from the patient, but still keeping information safe with the HIPPA law is information that has been de-identified. De-identified health information is information that has been stripped of all a patient’s personal data. There are eighteen elements that are removed before any information can be requested. The information that is stripped or made de-identified are: names, all geographical subdivisions smaller than a state, all elements dates (except year), telephone numbers, facsimile numbers, email addresses, social security numbers, medical record numbers, health plan beneficiary numbers, account numbers, vehicle identifiers including license plate numbers,

In the hospital area itself we must give patients a clear written explanation of the allowable uses and disclosures of their personal health information. We make them sign giving us permission to share their information with other health personal. They must acknowledge a notice of the hospitals privacy policies they are not chastised if they do not sign and may still be treated.

The privacy rule applies to personal health information in any form, electronic or paper, which includes the entire medical record. Individuals have full access to their information, can limit who can gain access to his or her records, can request changes to their medical record if there’s any reason they suspect that the information isn't accurate. In addition, the private information shared is kept to the minimal amount needed. Also, the patients have the privilege to decide whether or not to release their protected health information or PHI for purposes unrelated to any treatments or payment issues, such as research project. (Krager & Krager, 2008) HIPAA implemented specific code sets for diagnosis and procedures to be used in all transactions. Covered entities must adhere to the content and format requirements of each standard. (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, n.d)The security rule supplements the privacy rule; it deals specifically with electronic PHI or ePHI. It applies to covered entities that transmit health information in electronically. The Security Rule requires covered entities to keep appropriate

The information contained in the medical records is confidential and can only be released to authorized individuals in accordance with state and federal regulations. At Consulate Health Care only authorized persons may have access to clinical records in the permanent record file. Specifically authorized personnel are those involved in resident care, the Executive Director, consultants employed by the Facility, appropriate representatives of survey agencies, and others engaged in research projects who have been approved by the Executive Director. As a health care provider, Beneva Lakes’ primary focus of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, HIPAA, is: Combating against fraud and abuse; Ensuring confidentiality and security of individuals’ information/data; and Mandating uniform standards for electronic data transmissions of patient health information. Sharing Protected Health Information, PHI, is allowed for the purposes of treatment, billing, health care operations, determining eligibility and with patient authorization. Any sharing of PHI not required or allowed by federal of state statute is improper and it must be properly maintained for at least ten years. It is Consulate Health Care’s policy that prior to releasing PHI for promotional purposes, the provider must receive a written authorization that includes the dates it is valid and the ability of the patient to revoke the authorization.

Confidentiality in the Healthcare arena can be simply defined as the moral and ethical duty of the Practitioner to keep all the patient’s bio-data under lock and key, and offer a disclosure of those facts that the patient is legally mandated to disclose or deems fit to enhance their positive health outcome. According to the Segen’s Medical Dictionary, “Confidentiality is the ethical principle that a physician may not reveal any information disclosed in the course of medical care, unless the patient who disclosed that information poses a threat to him, herself or others’’

The wisdom of the HIPAA Privacy Rules was to create national standards to protect the

Any patient that is seen by a physician within the United States is to be protected by the “Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act” or HIPAA, which was passed into law in 1996 (Jani, 2009). All health care facilities dealing with any protected health information (PHI) are to ensure that all physical/electronic processes are safeguarded from any third party entity or unauthorized personnel according to HIPAA. All health care data to include any medical insurance

Ask questions – don’t be afraid to ask your healthcare provider how they safeguard your information.

The principles that allow covered entities such as government agencies to release protected health information only with the patient’s consent is that PHI will be released in compliance with the regulations governing reporting requirements. There are times where the government can release protected health information, the HIPAA Privacy Rule provides that protected

ProofPilot Ltd. hereby acknowledges the duty and responsibility to protect the privacy and security of Individually Identifiable Health Information (“IIHI”) generally, and Protected Health Information (“PHI”) as defined in the HIPAA Regulations, under the regulations implementing HIPAA, other federal and state laws protecting the confidentiality

Privacy and confidentiality are basic rights in our society. Safeguarding those rights, with respect to an individual’s personal health information, is our ethical and legal obligation as health care providers. Doing so in today’s health care environment is increasingly challenging (OJIN, 2005).