Privacy Rules & Regulations in

Healthcare Understanding the

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Why HIPAA?

• In an article presented in Fox News (2008), it reported that more than 100 hospital employees were found looking at patient medical records without permission.

• This training has been implemented to • Ensure our compliance with federal regulations and lessen the

occurrence of HIPAA violations

• Provide the confidence you need when processing and transmitting patient medical records

Training Goals

• Increase your knowledge and understanding of what is protected health information (PHI) and how to maintain its security.

• Enhance your awareness of your role in assisting in following the HIPAA Security Law.

• Learn about privacy and the security of information created, maintained and transmitted in electronic format.

• Inform you of your reporting responsibilities for HIPAA violations and the possible penalties for violation of HIPAA law for both you and the medical facility.

What is HIPAA

• HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

• It works to protect certain health information that identifies individuals who are living or deceased.

• The rule balances an individual’s interest in keeping his/her health information confidential with other social benefits, including health care research.

• The following video will further explain the HIPAA Privacy Rule…

What is HIPAA continued…

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2Cw0ARJVDM

Quiz!!!

You overhear two hospital employees discussing a patient in the elevator. What do you do?

A. Remind them to respect patient confidentiality and/or obtain their names from their name badges and inform your supervisor.

B. Join in the conversation only if you know the patient.

C. Ignore the employees and forget what you’ve heard them talking about.

The correct answer is A

You forget your password and need access to patient information to do your job. What do you do?

A. Call information services help desk or your network administrator to reinstate your password.

B. Share your co-workers password until you have time to obtain another password.

C. None of the above

The correct answer is A

You walk up to a computer workstation and notice the previous user has not logged out. What do you

do?

A. Send an email from the user’s account

B. Log the user out and sign in your own user ID and password

C. Save time by accessing the information you need to do your job from the current screen?

The correct answer is B

You walk away from someone’s computer without logging out. Another employee starts using the computer, using your access, inappropriately looks up patient information out of

curiosity. Are you held liable?

A. Yes

B. No

C. Only if the patient complains

Correct answer is A

References

• Department of Health & Human Services (2003). Protecting Personal Health Information in Research: Understanding the HIPAA Privacy Rule. NH Publication Number 03-5388. Retrieved from http://privacyruleandresearch.nih.gov/pdf/HIPAA_Booklet_4-14-2003.pdf

• Fox News.  (2008).  Report Over 120 UCLA hospital staff saw celebrity health records.  Retrieved from http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,398784,00.html

• Hayden, S. (2010). Training on Confidentiality MHA690 Hayden. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/haydens/training-on-confidentiality-mha690-hayden-6097476

• HIPPAExams. (2013). Why is HIPAA Training Important for Healthcare Workers. HIPAA Training. Retrieved from http://hipaa-exams.blogspot.com/2013/01/why-is-hipaa-training-important-for.html

• Witkowski, A. (2012). HIPAA. [video] Youtube. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2Cw0ARJVDM