4 Basic Points About HIPAA You Need to Know

After the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was adopted, a lot of things changed for the health industry. The act came into being not only to take care of medical records but also to change the way employees share information about patients. Changes took place in the basic functioning of the health industry. It’s been over a decade that the act came into place, and healthcare units had to make a lot of changes to comply with HIPAA. Now they bear fruit, in terms of its effectiveness.
HIPAA basically makes a hospital or a medical unit signs a form by their clients stating which groups or people their medical details can be shared with. This ensures confidentiality and eradicates the risk of information being leaked out. Even within the organization, certain employees cannot access their client’s Personal Health Information (PHI).
There are a number of regulations that patients should History Of Academic Medical Centers know about. HIPAA has been created for them:
• As a patient, you need to know who will abide by HIPAA’s rules and regulations. Doctors, nurses and healthcare providers, all of them Is Counseling Considered Medical Treatment need to be knowledgeable about the Act. Health insurance companies may not share any part of your Protected Health Information (PHI).
• If ever you fall ill, and a number of people need to go through your medical records, you can request that only your doctor be given this privilege. But sometimes a doctor could refuse this request in case nurses or health insurance agents need to access your records for taking care of you better.
• There are regulations even to access your own records. You can have full access to your records, unless your doctor specifies otherwise. There could be some information that could do more harm than heal if reviewed. In case there is a mistake in your records, you are given a specific number of days within which you are allowed to make changes. You also need to explicitly mention where you would not like your details to be shred, such as sales calls or even to certain kind of health agents.
• At your workplace the regulations regarding HIPAA are quite different. An employer is external to HIPAA rules, he may ask for a note from your doctor for various reasons. He is also not bound to keep any medical records private. He can share them with an external company if he needs to. On the other hand, health insurance companies cannot share your records with your employer without your consent.
These are only a few instances of the benefits of HIPAA. A certified employee at a medical unit or a hospital can guide you completely if you are a patient. You need to understand the Act as it has been designed to help you, a responsible citizen of the nation. Speak to your doctor, as he will have complete access to these records. He will be able to guide you and your family, as and when the need arises. It is important to stay knowledgeable about such Acts.