HIPAA•avoid public listening in•no patient records in trash•get patient signed release for medical records before releasing info•don’t talk when in doubt•PHI=protected health information•must give PHI when patient wants his records and when human health services request•can give PHI when pertains to treatment, payment or normal pharmacy operation.

HITECH act• health information technology for economic and

clinical health act• part D covers online transmission of health info• change password 180 days• patient gets online access to PHI• patient gets informed of HIPAA violation• who may access PHI under what conditions• unwilful violations forgiven if corrected in 30

days• patient can submit HIPAA form online

HITECH act• pharmacy must inform patient, and fed

government if HPI is breached.• must tell DHHS every year end of Feb about

any breach of PHI.• if over 500 people are released must notify

DHHS immediately.• must show a plan to avoid this again• pharmacist or pharm tech may be fined!• $1.5 million fine for not reporting.

HIPAA• minor or incompetent?-----patient rep may

receive PHI• any patient may request restrictions on who

gets PHI but must be reviewed by compliance officer.

• must keep records of who sees PHI if not related to treatment, payment, or normal operations.

• HIPAA records must be kept for 6 years.

drug issues• question a drug if:• storage outside recommended range• questionable source• questionable equivalence• call the prescriber if--• drug interactions• overdose possible• underdose possible• incomplete info on prescription• suspicious activity

drug issues• refuse to fill a prescription---• DEA comment• rx order has bizarre reason for drug• many orders from one prescriber• many people drop off rx with another name• many people show for same med from same

prescriber• increase of controlled substance orders

drug issues• stolen rx blanks• altered rx• fake rx blanks• if suspicious tech must tell pharmacist.

rx that cause harm• computer may alert you to drug reactions, tell

pharmacist• FDA pregnancy cautions• category A----no evidence of fetus harm• cat B-------no animal fetus damage, but no

human proof• cat C---averse effect on animal fetus, but no

human proof.• cat D----likely human fetus damage in studies• cat X-------fetal abnormalities. drug not

recommended.