Assignment: Releasing Protected Health Information
Assignment: Releasing Protected Health Information your name
HCR/210
February 20th, 2002
Katrina Collins
Assignment: Releasing Protected Health Information
There is a set of standards nationwide that aid in the protection of individuals health information, called HIPAA. HIPAA is a set of rules that address the use and privacy of an individual’s health records. Organizations subject to the privacy rule, otherwise known as covered entities, refer to the privacy and disclosure of information as protected health information. HIPAA also makes sure that each individual is aware of their rights to control how their health information is used. The main reason for the privacy rule is to keep patients information private and protected while allowing some specific information to flow from physician to physician when needed to provide the best health care possible. This rule was made to be flexible so that it can cover several uses and release of information. Entities are required by the privacy rule to abide by the regulations (HHS, 2010).
Any information that it shared between a patient and health care provider is considered privileged communication, or in other words means that the information is private. The patient has the right to confidentiality between them and their doctor. Confidentiality is the act of keeping any information between patient and doctor a secret unless the patient allows the information to be disclosed. In the case that the information is subpoenaed the patients authorization is not needed (HHS, 2010).
All employees that work in health care are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of confidentiality of all protected health information as well as the release of the information when requested. Although the health care provider owns the medical record they do not own the information within the medical record, the patient owns all of the information within the record. Because of the previous statement, third parties that have
HCR/210
February 20th, 2002
Katrina Collins
Assignment: Releasing Protected Health Information
There is a set of standards nationwide that aid in the protection of individuals health information, called HIPAA. HIPAA is a set of rules that address the use and privacy of an individual’s health records. Organizations subject to the privacy rule, otherwise known as covered entities, refer to the privacy and disclosure of information as protected health information. HIPAA also makes sure that each individual is aware of their rights to control how their health information is used. The main reason for the privacy rule is to keep patients information private and protected while allowing some specific information to flow from physician to physician when needed to provide the best health care possible. This rule was made to be flexible so that it can cover several uses and release of information. Entities are required by the privacy rule to abide by the regulations (HHS, 2010).
Any information that it shared between a patient and health care provider is considered privileged communication, or in other words means that the information is private. The patient has the right to confidentiality between them and their doctor. Confidentiality is the act of keeping any information between patient and doctor a secret unless the patient allows the information to be disclosed. In the case that the information is subpoenaed the patients authorization is not needed (HHS, 2010).
All employees that work in health care are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of confidentiality of all protected health information as well as the release of the information when requested. Although the health care provider owns the medical record they do not own the information within the medical record, the patient owns all of the information within the record. Because of the previous statement, third parties that have
References: Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. (2003-2011). (PRC, 2011, p3) Retrieved February 19th, 2011, from Fact Sheet 8a: HIPAA Basics: Medical Privacy in the Electronic age: http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs8a-hipaa.htm Thompson Delmar Learning, A part of the Thompson Corporation. (2005). (Ch. 8, 2005, p3) Chapter 8 Legal Aspects of Health Information Management. Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/classroom/ic/classroom.aspx U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2010). HHS.gov. (HHS 2010, p2) Retrieved from http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/summary/index.html